title: Somatosensory evoked potentials in very preterm infants in relation to L-thyroxine supplementation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effect of L-thyroxine supplementation on neurologic maturation in very preterm infants with transient hypothyroxinemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, L-thyroxine supplementation trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Level III neonatal intensive care unit.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 200 infants <30 weeks' gestational age.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects were randomly assigned to receive L-thyroxine (8 microg/kg birth weight per day) or a placebo during the first 6 weeks of life.
  
  
  METHODS
  Median nerve somatosensory evoked potentials were recorded, measuring cortical N1 peak latency at 2 weeks of age, at term, and at 6 months (corrected) age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cortical N1 peak latency was not decreased significantly in the L-thyroxine group compared with the placebo group throughout the study period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  L-Thyroxine supplementation during the first 6 weeks of life did not decrease cortical N1 peak latency in infants of <30 weeks' gestational age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Emma Children's Hospital AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Smit
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kok
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: de Vries
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: van Wassenaer
authors.forename: F W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Dekker
authors.forename: B W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Ongerboer de Visser
mesh_terms: D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004453:Echoencephalography; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D013974:Thyroxine