Thyroid function in healthy and sick very-low-birth-weight infants--thyrotropin and free thyroxine levels until the sixth week of age.
Hypothyroxinemia in preterm infants without congenital hypothyroidism is associated with developmental delay. Longitudinal information on thyroid function in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW, <1,500 g birth weight) infants is limited: we present data on thyroid function in sick and healthy VLBW infants until 6 weeks of age. Free T(4) and TSH levels routinely obtained on days 14-21 and days 35-49 in 92 consecutive VLBW infants were correlated retrospectively with neonatal morbidity. Free T(4) levels were positively correlated with gestational age; an independent effect of neonatal disease on thyroid function was not detectable.
Dembinski
J
J
Department of Neonatology, Center of Pediatrics, University of Bonn, Germany. jdembinski@uni-bonn.de
Arpe
V
V
Kroll
M
M
Bartmann
P
P
Hieronimi
G
G
D000375:Aging; D001238:Asphyxia Neonatorum / Q000503:physiopathology; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000503:physiopathology; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000503:physiopathology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood*; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood*
D013972:Thyrotropin; D013974:Thyroxine