Abstract
The incidence of transient hypothyroidism in very low birth weight infants has not been delineated. We studied 22 premature infants <1000 grams and <30 weeks gestation. Eight infants died within four days and their data excluded.
The nadir of T4 and FT4 and the peak TSH levels occurred at 2 weeks. Eight of 10 babies had T4's <6μg/dl and 7 had FT4's <0.8ng/dl (below accepted normal values). No TSH value was >20μU/ml. The FT4's were lower than anticipated. These data are compatible with transient hypothyroxinemia. However, it is possible that these babies had transient hypothyroidism with a blunted TSH response secondary to immaturity of the hypothalamo-pituitary-thyroid axis.
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Whiteside, W., Williams, P., Root, A. et al. SERUM THYROXINE (T4), FREE T4 (FT4) AND TSH IN PREMATURE INFANTS LESS THAN 1000 GRAMS DURING THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF LIFE. Pediatr Res 18 (Suppl 4), 179 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-00517
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-00517