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Published on: June 12, 2020
High frequency of cardiac and behavioral complaints as presenting symptoms of hyperthyroidism in children
Lindsey A Loomba-Albrecht1, Andrew A Bremer, Dennis M Styne
1Department of Pediatrics, Division of Endocrinology, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA 95817-2208, USA. lindsey.albrecht@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu
Insights
Cardiac symptoms are the most common chief complaint in children with hyperthyroidism. However, mood and behavior disturbances are also frequent, though often overlooked, leading to delayed diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Endocrinology
- Child Health
Background:
- Limited data exists on the primary reasons children seek medical care for hyperthyroidism.
- Atypical presentations can complicate early diagnosis and increase patient morbidity.
Observation:
- A retrospective review analyzed medical records of 76 pediatric patients diagnosed with hyperthyroidism.
- The study focused on characterizing chief complaints and presenting symptoms at initial medical encounters.
Findings:
- Cardiac symptoms were the most frequent chief complaint, reported by 23% of patients.
- Mood and behavioral disturbances were present in 21% of cases but rarely identified as the primary complaint (6%).
Implications:
- This research highlights the diverse initial presentations of pediatric hyperthyroidism.
- Recognizing cardiac and behavioral symptoms is crucial for prompt diagnosis and improved patient outcomes.
Objective:
Descriptive data characterizing the frequency of various chief complaints and presenting symptomatology in children with hyperthyroidism are lacking. Furthermore, difficulties in recognizing atypical presentations may delay diagnosis and increase morbidity.
Methods:
We performed a retrospective review of the medical records of 76 children with hyperthyroidism to characterize their chief complaints at initial presentation to care and document other presenting symptomatology.
Results:
Cardiac symptoms were the most frequent chief complaint, accounting for 23% of presenting complaints. Major mood and behavior disturbances were also frequently present (21%), but were infrequently cited as the chief complaint (6%).
Conclusions:
This study is the first to describe chief complaints separately from the other signs and symptoms of hyperthyroidism noted at the time of presentation to medical attention. Cardiac complaints were the most common: however, complaints associated with behavioral and mood disorders also occurred frequently. Clinicians should be aware of these presentations so that hyperthyroidism is diagnosed promptly to avoid morbidity associated with delayed diagnosis.
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