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Thyroid function in healthy and unhealthy preterm newborns
Gökten Korkmaz1, Mustafa Özçetin2, Yakup Çağ3
1Süleymaniye Maternity and Children Diseases Training and Research Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Istanbul, Turkey.
Insights
Thyroid hormone levels, including TSH, FT3, and FT4, are crucial in premature infants. Unhealthy preterm babies often exhibit lower thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels, suggesting potential hypothyroxinemia.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal endocrinology
- Pediatric thyroid disorders
Background:
- Thyroid hormone regulation is vital in preterm infants.
- Investigating thyroid hormone levels in healthy versus unhealthy preterm infants is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine thyroid hormone levels (FT3, FT4, TSH) in healthy and unhealthy preterm infants.
- To correlate these levels with clinical variables and gestational age.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study of 53 preterm infants in a neonatal intensive care unit.
- Blood samples collected at 0-24 hours, 7, and 14 days for hormone level determination.
- Demographic and clinical data were recorded.
Main Results:
- Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) was the most common health problem.
- Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were consistently lower in unhealthy preterm infants.
- FT3 and FT4 levels correlated significantly with gestational week and birth weight.
Conclusions:
- Preterm infants, particularly those with health issues, frequently experience hypothyroxinemia.
- Thyroid hormone replacement therapy may be necessary for affected preterm infants.
Background:
The thyroid gland and hormonal regulation are among the most important systems to be investigated in pre-term infants. This study sought to investigate thyroid hormone levels of healthy and unhealthy pre-term infants.
Methods:
The prospective study included 53 consecutive premature infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit within a duration of one year. Of these preterm babies, 20 were healthy, while 33 had problems such as asphyxia or RDS. Venous blood samples were collected at baseline 0-24 hours, 7 and 14 days and FT3, FT4, and TSH levels were determined. Other data recorded included demographic characteristics of the patients and clinical variables.
Results:
The most frequent health problems were RDS (87.9%), sepsis (30.3%), and retinopathy of prematurity (24.2%). The mean TSH levels showed a consistent decline at three consequent measurements in both groups, which were always significantly lower in unhealthy pre-terms. In both groups, TSH levels showed significant decreases on Day 7 and Day 14 compared to the baseline levels (p<005). The levels of FT3 and FT4 consistently showed significant correlations with gestational week and birth weight at each of the three measurements.
Conclusion:
Pre-term infants, especially those having problems, have significant hypothyroxinemia that may require thyroid hormone replacement therapy.
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