title: Relationship between changes in thyroid hormone level and severity of the postoperative course in neonates undergoing open-heart surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Our aim was to determine whether the changes in thyroid function after open-heart surgery in neonates depend on the postoperative course.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty neonates undergoing open-heart surgery for congenital heart disease were prospectively studied in the cardiac intensive care unit of a university-affiliated children's hospital. The patients were divided into two groups by level of inotropic support (high or mild).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The groups were similar in age, bypass time and ultrafiltration volume. In both groups, there was a significant reduction in levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone and FT4 at 24 h postoperatively. However, in the high inotropic support group, FT4 was lower for a longer time. This group also had a significantly higher score on The Pediatric Risk of Mortality (PRISM; P < 0.042) and a longer duration of ventilation (P < 0.014).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neonates after open-heart surgery undergo changes in thyroid function characteristic of euthyroid sick syndrome. The degree of hypothyroxinemia may be related to the severity of illness and the postoperative course.
authors: Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petah Tiqwa, Israel. cicu_schneider@clalit.org.il
authors: Ovadia
authors: O
authors: Dagan
authors: Bernardo
authors: B
authors: Vidne
authors: Zeev
authors: Z
authors: Josefsberg
authors: Moshe
authors: M
authors: Phillip
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Strich
authors: Eldad
authors: E
authors: Erez