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An Ex vivo Culture System to Study Thyroid Development

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Published on: June 6, 2014

Changes in Thyroid Function Across Adolescence: A Longitudinal Study.

Purdey J Campbell¹, Suzanne J Brown¹, Phillip Kendrew²

¹Department of Endocrinology & Diabetes, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, WA, Australia.

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism

|January 11, 2020

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Thyroid function tests in adolescents show complex, sex-specific changes. New reference ranges for thyrotropin (TSH), free triiodothyronine (fT3), and free thyroxine (fT4) are needed for this age group.

Keywords:

TSH adolescents fT3 fT4 reference ranges thyroid hormones

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Area of Science:

Endocrinology
Pediatric Health
Human Physiology

Background:

Adolescence is a critical period for growth and development.
Thyroid hormones play a vital role in regulating metabolism and development.
Limited large-scale longitudinal data exists on thyroid function during adolescence.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate longitudinal trends in thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (fT3), and free thyroxine (fT4) in adolescents.
To establish age-specific reference ranges for these thyroid hormones in adolescents.
To identify potential sex differences in thyroid hormone dynamics during puberty.

Main Methods:

Longitudinal assessment of thyroid function in 3415 participants of the Brisbane Longitudinal Twin Study at ages 12, 14, and 16.
Hormone levels measured using the Abbott ARCHITECT immunoassay.
Statistical analyses adjusted for body mass index and pubertal status.

Main Results:

Free thyroxine (fT4) increased significantly with age in both sexes, with notable differences between genders.
Free triiodothyronine (fT3) showed a complex pattern, increasing initially and then decreasing in both sexes.
Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels increased from age 14 to 16 in both boys and girls.
Established reference ranges differed substantially from adult ranges, particularly for fT4 and fT3.

Conclusions:

Adolescent thyroid function exhibits complex and sexually dimorphic patterns.
Current adult-based reference ranges may not be appropriate for adolescents.
Adolescence-specific reference ranges for TSH, fT3, and fT4 are recommended for accurate clinical assessment.