ON THE RELATION BETWEEN PITUITARY-THYROID AXIS AND PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT IN ENDEMIC CRETINISM / 中华内分泌代谢杂志

ABSTRACT

The relation between pituitary-thryoid axis and physical development in 42 cases of endemic cretinism in Qinghai province was studied with 38 normal subjects as controls. The crania and the pituitary enlargement in cretins were revealed by CT scan. It was found that in cretins the physical development was retarded, the crania were smaller than those of the controls, and the serum TSH levels were increased, particularly in the myxedematous ones. Statistically there was a positive correlation between pituitary height and serum TSH (r = 0.511, p