title: Control of thyroglobulin secretion in patients with ectopic thyroid gland.
abstract: Serum thyroglobulin (Tg) measurements were performed in 17 children with congenital hypothyroidism due to an ectopic thyroid gland before therapy and during follow-up. Data were analysed in four periods according to duration of therapy and compared to results obtained in a group of 51 normal children aged 1 month to 6 yr. At diagnosis serum Tg was higher than the mean normal value measured at a similar age. We observed a rapid and parallel decrease of both Tg and thyroid-stimulating hormone during the early weeks of therapy. However, Tg was always detectable in the serum of treated (euthyroid) patients. After 34 months of therapy serum Tg was 11.4 +/- 1 ng/ml, a value significantly different (p less than 0.001) from that obtained in normal controls of similar age (23.5 +/- 3 ng/ml). In nine treated children aged more than 2 yr, thyroid-stimulating hormone and Tg were increased after a brief period of decreased L-thyroxine dosage. These data indicate that ectopic thyroid tissue does not involute during thyroxine therapy and, in response to elevations of serum thyroid-stimulating hormone, can be stimulated to secrete Tg.
authors.affiliation: Unité d'Endocrinologie Pédiatrique et Diabète, Hôpital des Enfants Malades, Paris, France.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leger
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tar
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schlumberger
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Czernichow
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002828:Choristoma / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D003409:Congenital Hypothyroidism; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D013954:Thyroglobulin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000378:metabolism*; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D013972:Thyrotropin; D013954:Thyroglobulin; D013974:Thyroxine