To Study the Thyroid Hormone Levels in Neonates of Rural and Urban Vidarbha Region

This study aimed to evaluate thyroid hormone levels in neonates from the rural and urban Vidarbha region. Over the past decade, neonatal hypothyroidism screening has been conducted using filter paper techniques to identify congenital hypothyroidism (CH). In some screening programs, only T4 is measured initially, with TSH assessed if the T4 levels fall below normal. Conversely, some programs exclusively measure TSH to screen for CH. Currently, initial TSH screening can identify subclinical hypothyroidism in cases where T4 levels are normal, while preliminary T4 testing can reveal congenital hypothyroidism when TSH is elevated. If either T4 or TSH is found to be abnormal during preliminary screening, the other parameter should be monitored. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment are crucial in preventing intellectual disabilities in newborns.

The present cross-sectional research will be conducted in collaboration with the Departments of Biochemistry, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Community Medicine, and Pediatrics at Jawaharlal-Nehru Medical College Sawangi (Meghe) Wardha, along with the Datta-Meghe Institute of Medical Science (Deemed University) in Maharashtra, India, and Datta-Meghe Medical College, Shalinitai Meghe Hospital and Research Centre, Nagpur.

A total of 272 neonates were tested for Congenital Hypothyroidism (CH) from the study area of the Vidarba region in which 138 neonates were from the rural area and 134 neonates were from the urban area. A total of 144 (53%) males and 128 (47%) females were born in rural and urban areas. In the neonates, it was observed that the Mean ± SD for free T4 and TSH was 0.84 ± 0.15 and 3.83 ± 2.12, respectively. If the free T4 value was less than the lower limit, the TSH value CB ≥25 μIU/ml and plasma ≥10 μIU/ml was considered as screen positive in the present study.

Newborn screening programs were established to assess neonates at birth by measuring (TSH) levels. In many screening programs, TSH is the primary marker for evaluating thyroid function and is the preferred test for clinicians diagnosing various thyroid disorders. However, TSH levels can vary significantly and exhibit a broad reference range within the general population, which presents challenges in interpreting the results during newborn screening and in using it later as a clinical diagnostic tool for thyroid function.