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Iodine overload and severe hypothyroidism in two neonates
Selim Kurtoğlu1, Leyla Akın, Mustafa Ali Akın
1Erciyes University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, 38039 Kayseri, Turkey. selimk@erciyes.edu.tr
Iodine overload frequently leads to transient hyperthyrotropinemia or hypothyroidism, and rarely to hyperthyroidism in neonates. Iodine exposure can be prenatal, perinatal or postnatal. Herein we report two newborn infants who developed severe hypothyroidism due to iodine overload. The overloading was caused by excessive use of an iodinated antiseptic for umbilical care in the first case, and as a result of maternal exposure and through breast milk with a high iodine level in the second case. Presenting the two cases, we wanted to draw attention to these preventable causes of hypothyroidism in infants.
Iodine overload frequently leads to transient hyperthyrotropinemia or hypothyroidism, and rarely to hyperthyroidism in neonates. Iodine exposure can be prenatal, perinatal or postnatal. Herein we report two newborn infants who developed severe hypothyroidism due to iodine overload. The overloading was caused by excessive use of an iodinated antiseptic for umbilical care in the first case, and as a result of maternal exposure and through breast milk with a high iodine level in the second case. Presenting the two cases, we wanted to draw attention to these preventable causes of hypothyroidism in infants.
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