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Thyroid Disorders Spectrum in Pediatric Endocrine Clinic; Seven-Year Experience of a Teaching Hospital in Saudi
Mohammad H Al-Qahtani1, Sufian A ElYahia2, Abdulaziz S AlQahtani2
1Department of Pediatrics, King Fahd Hospital of the University, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 34221, Saudi Arabia.
Insights
Pediatric thyroid disorders are common, with acquired hypothyroidism being most frequent. Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is the second most common, posing significant health risks if untreated.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Internal Medicine
- Clinical Research
Background:
- Thyroid disorders are significant endocrine issues in children, ranging from mild to severe, impacting growth and development.
- Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial to prevent serious health consequences in affected children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze demographic characteristics, clinical patterns, and severity of thyroid disorders in pediatric endocrine clinic patients.
- To understand the prevalence and presentation of various thyroid conditions in a pediatric population over a seven-year period.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 148 pediatric patients diagnosed with thyroid disorders between January 2015 and December 2021.
- Data collection included patient demographics, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and referral reasons.
Main Results:
- Acquired hypothyroidism was the most prevalent disorder (34%), followed by congenital hypothyroidism (CH).
- Females constituted 64% of patients. Referrals were often for screening due to autoimmune disease associations (28.3%) or neck swelling (22.6%).
- Hashimoto's thyroiditis and acquired hyperthyroidism were less common.
Conclusions:
- Acquired hypothyroidism is the leading thyroid disorder in pediatric endocrinology clinics, while CH presents the highest potential for complications.
- Thyroid disorders in children require pediatrician awareness due to varied presentations and potential long-term health impacts.
- Findings align with international data showing female predominance in pediatric thyroid diseases.
Abstract:
Thyroid disorders constitute one of the major endocrine disorders in pediatric service. It includes a range of congenital versus acquired anatomic and/or functional thyroid diseases in growing children that has a spectrum of severity from severe intellectual disability effect to subclinical mild pathologies. This study was designed to analyze the demographic characteristics, clinical pattern, and severity of thyroid disorders in the pediatric endocrine clinic patients at the teaching hospital of the university over a 7-year duration. A total number of 148 patients with thyroid disorders were seen in pediatric Endocrine clinic during the time between January 2015 and December 2021. Female patients constitute 64% of them. Acquired Hypothyroidism was the commonest disorder; 34% of the cases followed by the congenital hypothyroidism (CH), then Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and 5.8% for others. While a very small percentage was acquired hyperthyroidism. The majority of referrals were from dermatology and other service for the screening of thyroid disease as association with other autoimmune diseases with percentage of 28.3%. Next was neck swelling manifestation in 22.6%. Thyroid disorders in children, both congenital and acquired, constitute an important medical issue for pediatricians to be aware of its variable presentations, and its potential serious health consequences on the affected children if not diagnosed and treated earlier. Acquired hypothyroidism constitutes more percentage of the thyroid disorders followed in the pediatric endocrinology outpatient clinics. Congenital hypothyroidism is the second most common thyroid disorder in the outpatient unit, having the most potential complications. These results support the international studies with the female predominance in most of thyroid disorders.
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