Related Experiment Videos
Congenital hypothyroidism: auxological retrospective study during the first six years of age
V Siragusa1, A Terenghi, G F Rondanini
1Centro di Endocrinologia dell'Infanzia e dell' Adolescenza, Clinica Pediatrica III, Università di Milano, Italy.
Insights
Early diagnosis and treatment of congenital hypothyroidism (CH) are crucial for growth. Prompt replacement therapy in clinically diagnosed CH patients enables catch-up growth, while neonatal screening shows different outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Endocrinology
- Genetics
Background:
- Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is a common endocrine disorder in newborns.
- Growth and neurodevelopmental outcomes in CH are influenced by the timing and adequacy of treatment.
- Understanding growth patterns in relation to diagnostic methods and etiology is essential for optimizing care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate growth parameters (length, height, weight, head circumference) in children with CH.
- To compare growth outcomes between children diagnosed clinically versus via neonatal screening.
- To investigate the impact of CH etiology on growth patterns and treatment response.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of growth data (birth to six years) in 89 children with CH.
- Division of patients into two groups: clinical diagnosis (Group A) and neonatal screening (Group B).
- Comparison of growth parameters against normal standards and assessment of treatment effects.
Main Results:
- Group A (clinical diagnosis) achieved catch-up growth in height and weight within 10 months of therapy.
- Group B (neonatal screening) showed no significant difference in height and weight compared to standards.
- Head circumference was significantly higher in Group B compared to normal standards; athyreosis subgroup showed initial growth deficits that normalized with therapy.
Conclusions:
- Growth retardation in CH is directly related to the severity and duration of hormone deficiency.
- Replacement therapy initiated within the first year for clinically diagnosed CH patients facilitates catch-up growth.
- Neonatal screening may identify CH earlier, but catch-up growth patterns may differ compared to clinically diagnosed cases.
Abstract:
We examined length, height and weight from birth to six years of age and head circumference during the first two years in 89 children with congenital hypothyroidism (CH). The patients were divided in two groups: children diagnosed by clinical criteria during the first year of life (group A) and children detected by neonatal screening (group B). Group A showed a complete catch up growth for height and weight 10 months after the beginning of the replacement therapy; to the contrary, group B did not show any difference for height and weight compared to normal standards. Head circumference, evaluated only in group B, was significantly higher in comparison with normal standards. When etiology of CH was taken into consideration, children with athyreosis showed a significantly lower length at birth and at three months of age and their growths curves normalized after institution of replacement therapy. In conclusion our data suggest a direct relationship between severity and duration of hormone deficiency and growth retardation and confirm that replacement therapy started within the first year of live in CH patients clinically diagnosed allows a catch up growth.