In 2010, 152 monozygotic twins with extremely different birth weights were identified from the Danish Twin Registry. When participants were analysed as singletons, birth weight was inversely associated with serum levels of free T4 and T3, but not with serum TSH levels. When participants were analysed as twin pairs, serum levels of all three markers were similar between twins of low and high birth weight. The authors conclude that birth weight has no effect on the pituitary–thyroid axis in adults.
ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER
Frost, M. et al. Regulation of the pituitary-thyroid axis in adulthood is not related to birth weight: evidence from extremely birth weight–discordant monozygotic Danish twin pairs. Thyroid doi:10.1089/thy.2012.0095
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Birth weight does not affect thyroid function. Nat Rev Endocrinol 9, 131 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2013.27
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2013.27