Evaluation of the therapeutic interventions effects on body growth pattern of infants with congenital hypothyroidism

Abstract

Background: The congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is one of the most common congenital endocrine disorders as well as the most preventable mental retardation cause and body growth disorder. Several factors such as therapeutic interventions might affect the infants' growth status. The current study was aimed to evaluate the therapeutic interventions' effect on growth pattern of infants with congenital hypothyroidism in Yazd. Method: This retrospective cohort study was performed on all neonates with CH, who were born during years 2006 and 2008. The effectiveness of therapeutic interventions indices including the age of treatment onset, the administered dosage of Levothyroxine and normalization time of T4 and TSH level on growth pattern of children with CH by measuring height, weight and head circumference during the first five years was evaluated. Results: The results of the current study showed a significant increase in height, weight, and head circumference in infants from early infancy to 60 months of age as well as an ascending trend of the aforementioned variables(P<0.05). Conclusion: The significant effect of therapeutic interventions such as the age of treatment onset less than 30 days, normalization time of TSH during 30 days after diagnosing and normalization age of T4 less than 14 days was reported on height and weight growths of patients with congenital hypothyroidism. Also, the trend of head circumference growth would be increased in patients equally.