Serum Thyroglobulin Concentrations in Congenital Hypothyroidism

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To investigate the serum levels of thyroglobulin in 35 Children with proven congenital hypothyroidism and the value of serum thyroglobulin (Tg) determination in the differential diagnosis of congenital hypothyroidism. METHODS: Thirty five patients diagnosed with congenital hypothyroidism by clinical symptoms, physical findings, thyroid function tests and radionuclide thyroid scan were available for study. The age of subjects was ranged between 2 weeks and 8.1 years. Serum thyroglobulin was measured by immunoradiometric assay (Thyroglobulin IRMA Pasteur kit). The control groups consisted of 10 normal children with similar age. RESULTS: 1) The male to female ratio was about 1 1.7. 2) In etiologic classification, thyroid dysgenesis was 29 cases (82.9%) and dyshormonogenesis was 6 cases (17.1%). Among the thyroid dysgenesis, athyreosis was 18 cases (51.5%), ectopic gland was 6 cases (17.1%), and hypoplastic gland was 5 cases (14.3%). 3) Serum thyroglobulin concentration of athyreosis (5.6+/-6.4ng/mL) was the lowest in children with congenital hypothyroidism, and serum thyroglobulin concentrations of both athyreosis and hypoplastic thyroid gland (11.6+/-6.5ng/mL) were significantly lower than the concentration of normal children (25.6+/-11.1ng/mL). 4) Serum thyroglobulin concentration in children with ectopic gland (22.7+/- 11.3ng/mL) and dyshormonogenesis (31.6+/-20.5ng/mL) was same as the concentration of normal children. CONCLUSIONS: Serum thyroglobulin measurement may be useful in the differetial diagnosis of athyreosis from other etiologies of congenital hypothyroidism.