Screening for congenital hypothyroidism in Turkey.
A pilot study was performed to determine the incidence of congenital hypothyroidism (CH) in Turkey and to build a model for nationwide screening. From December 1991 to December 1992, 30,097 newborns were screened for CH using a primary measurement of thyroid stimulating hormone in capillary blood on days 3-5 of life. Samples were obtained in collaboration with the ongoing nationwide phenylketonuria screening programme. Eleven cases of primary CH were detected giving the incidence of 1:2736. Recall rate was 2.3%. Replacement therapy with L-thyroxine was started after the confirmation of diagnosis. The median age at the initiation of replacement therapy was 23 days (range 7-35 days).


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of CH is notably higher in Turkey than reported in most other countries. Iodine deficiency and/or dyshormonogenesis might contribute to this high incidence. This result emphasizes the necessity of a nationwide screening programme.
Yordam
N
N
Hacettepe University, Department of Paediatric Endocrinology, Ankara, Turkey.
Calikoğlu
A S
AS
Hatun
S
S
Kandemir
N
N
Oğuz
H
H
Teziç
T
T
Ozalp
I
I
D003409:Congenital Hypothyroidism; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D015997:Neonatal Screening; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012016:Reference Values; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D014421:Turkey
D013972:Thyrotropin