Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 14, 2026

Human In Vitro Suppression as Screening Tool for the Recognition of an Early State of Immune Imbalance
Published on: July 22, 2011
TSH suppression after intravenous glucocorticosteroid administration in preterm infants
Tomoyuki Shimokaze1, Katsuaki Toyoshima, Jun Shibasaki
1Department of Pediatrics, Yamagata Saisei Hospital, Yamagata, Japan. s-kaze@auone.jp
Background:
Reports have described that, in adults, steroids suppress thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and triiodothyronine (T3) and might suppress thyroxine (T4). No data have been reported for thyroid hormone changes before or after administration of glucocorticoid in preterm infants.
Aims:
The aim of this study was to investigate short-term effects of thyroid hormones on preterm infants. INDEX CASES: We measured TSH, free T3 (FT3), and free T4 (FT4) before and after one or two doses of glucocorticoids administered to five infants at 29-37 weeks of corrected gestational age.
Results:
Comparison of thyroid hormone levels before and 1 day after glucocorticoid administration showed that TSH significantly decreased by 76% (64%-87%), FT3 by 33% (10%-50%), and FT4 by 10% (3%-17%). The decline in TSH and FT3 was followed by an increase around the pretreatment level at 3-15 days after glucocorticoid administration. In two of the five infants, FT4 continued to decrease from 1 day after glucocorticoid administration.
Conclusions:
In preterm infants, assessing thyroid hormones after glucocorticoid therapy demands caution because very short-term administration causes marked changes.
Related Concept Videos
Drugs for Treatment of Crohn's Disease in IBD Using Glucocorticoids
Graves Disease II: Pathophysiology
Hyperthyroidism I: Introduction
Synthesis and Regulation of Thyroid Hormones
Upon reaching the thyroid gland, TSH stimulates the follicular cells' active uptake of iodide ions from the blood. The ions diffuse to the apical surface of the cells and are oxidized to iodine. The iodine is then...
Graves' Disease I: Introduction
Pulmonary Tuberculosis I
Causative Organism
The primary infectious agent causing tuberculosis is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing, acid-fast, aerobic rod that exhibits sensitivity to heat and ultraviolet light. Instances of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium contributing to the development of TB infection are rare.
Mode of...

