Follow-up study of preterm infants with thyroid dysfunction after medication / 中国当代儿科杂志

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES@#To study the effect of levothyroxine sodium tablets on the growth and development and thyroid function in preterm infants with thyroid dysfunction.@*METHODS@#A retrospective analysis was performed for 82 preterm infants who were born in the Department of Obstetrics of the First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2017, and these infants were hospitalized after birth in the Department of Neonatology of the hospital. They were regularly followed up to observe growth and development and thyroid function at the outpatient service of the Department of Neonatology. According to thyroid function test results, they were divided into an abnormal thyroid function group (observation group; @*RESULTS@#There were no significant differences in physical development indices (body length, body weight, and head circumference) between the observation and control groups at various gestational ages after follow-up to the corrected age of 12 months (@*CONCLUSIONS@#Early diagnosis and reasonable treatment can reduce the impact on growth and development in preterm infants with thyroid dysfunction. Most preterm infants tend to have transient thyroid dysfunction, while those with positive results of neonatal screening are more likely to develop permanent thyroid dysfunction.