Evaluation of Congenital Hypothyroidism in Fars Province, Iran

authors:

avatar Mehrsadat Alavi 1 , avatar Hamdollah Karamifar 2 , avatar Golmhossein Amirhakimi 2 , avatar Zohreh Karamizadeh 2 , avatar Hedyeh Saneifard 2 , *

Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Division of endocrinology, Department of pediatrics, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Iranian Journal of Pediatrics: Vol.22, issue 1; 107-112
published online: March 31, 2012
article type: Research Article
received: December 25, 2010
accepted: December 06, 2011

how to cite: Alavi M, Karamifar H, Amirhakimi G, Karamizadeh Z, Saneifard H. Evaluation of Congenital Hypothyroidism in Fars Province, Iran. Iran J Pediatr. 2012;22(1): 107-112. 

Abstract

Objective: In Iran thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) based neonatal screening program is included in health care services from 2005 for detection of patients with primary congenital hypothyroidism (CH). This study was performed for a critical evaluation of the screening program primary congenital hypothyroidism in Fars province, Iran.
Methods: From November 2006 to September 2007, TSH serum concentrations of 63031 newborns, 3 to 5 days old born in Fars province, were measured by heel prick. The newborns with TSH  5mIU/L were recalled for measurement of serumT4 and TSH in venous blood samples
Findings: Of 127 recalled subjects, 43 were confirmed to be hypothyroid, showing a prevalence of 1:1465 with F:M ratio of 1.05:1. The most common clinical and radiological findings were prolonged jaundice (73%), large anterior fontanel (56%), wide posterior fontanel (55%), absence of distal femoral epiphysis (20%), and umbilical hernia (11%). Scintigraphy of the thyroid with 99mTC revealed eutopia (67.4%), hypoplasia (23.3%), agenesis (4.7%) and ectopia (2.3%).
Conclusion: It is concluded that a cut off value of TSH≥5mIU/L overestimates recalling the number of patients with CH. The most common cause of congenital hypothyroidism is not dysgenesis of the gland and perhaps dyshormonogenesis in Iran is more common than what is reported in other countries.
 

Fulltext

Click here to download PDF.

References

  • 1.

    References are available in PDF.