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Differences in thyroid function between small for gestational age and those with appropriate weight for gestational

Iker Fernández González1, Sandra Maeso-Méndez2, Ainhoa Sarasua Miranda3

  • 1Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), Vitoria-Gasteiz, Álava, Spain.

Anales De Pediatria
|October 30, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Small for gestational age (SGA) children show higher thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels than appropriate for gestational age (AGA) peers after six months. This suggests a need for thyroid screening in high-risk SGA infants.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Neonatal Health
  • Thyroid Function Studies

Background:

  • Small for gestational age (SGA) infants often present with comorbidities and altered hormonal profiles compared to appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants.
  • Thyroid hormones are critical for growth and neurocognitive development, yet their precise role in SGA children remains incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate and compare the thyroid function, specifically thyrotropin (TSH) levels, in SGA children during their first two years of life.
  • To benchmark thyroid function in SGA infants against published data for AGA and premature infants using consistent methodologies.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 38 SGA children was monitored for TSH levels at various developmental stages.
  • TSH measurements were compared to reference populations of AGA children from Zaragoza and premature infants from Barcelona.
  • Statistical analysis involved a 2-tailed t-test to compare mean TSH values between groups.

Main Results:

  • A statistically significant elevation in TSH levels was observed in SGA children compared to AGA children beyond six months of age (P < 0.05).
  • No significant difference in TSH levels was found between the studied SGA children and the population of premature infants.

Conclusions:

  • SGA children exhibit higher TSH levels than AGA children after six months of age.
  • These findings support the implementation of screening and follow-up protocols for thyroid dysfunction in high-risk SGA infants.
Abstract

Keywords:
Pequeño para la edad gestacionalPrematureRecién nacido prematuroSmall for gestational ageThyrotropinTirotropina

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