Abstract
TSH data from the congenital hypothyroidism screening program were analyzed in a mild to moderate iodine deficiency region. Neonatal TSH levels were measured at day 4–5 of life in 22,384 infants (99% coverage; 51.1% males, 48.9% females). The cut off TSH value for recall was established at 20 µUI/ml whole blood. TSH values >20 µUI/ml were excluded from further analysis of the data. The frequency distribution analysis showed that the median neonatal TSH level was 2 µUI/ml and the mode (28% of newborns) corresponded to neonatal TSH values <1 µUI/ml. TSH levels above 5 µUI/ml were observed in 14.4% children and the 97% cut off was 11 µUI/ml. When examined in relation to the areas of newborn origin, the individual 97% cut off values varied from 8 to 14 µUI/ml. Accordingly, the frequency of TSH levels above the 97% cut off value calculated for the entire newborn series (>11 µUI/ml) ranged from 2.1% to 4.6%. A significant correlation was found between the frequency of neonatal TSH levels >11 µUI/ml and both goiter prevalence (r 2=0.88; p=0.0019) and median urinary iodine excretion (r 2=0.86; p=0.0077) observed in those areas for which epidemiological data were available (n=7). The results indicate that neonatal TSH data from the congenital hypothyroidism screening programs can be used for monitoring mild to moderate iodine deficiency regions.
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Costante, G., Grasso, L., Ludovico, O. et al. The statistical analysis of neonatal TSH results from congenital hypothyroidism screening programs provides a useful tool for the characterization of moderate iodine deficiency regions. J Endocrinol Invest 20, 251–256 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03350296
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03350296