Effects of early high-dose levothyroxine treatment on auditory brain event-related potentials at school entry in children with congenital hypothyroidism.
OBJECTIVE
We tested whether brain event-related potentials (ERPs) are normal in children with congenital hypothyroidism (CH) after early high-dose levothyroxine treatment.


METHODS
Auditory ERPs were recorded in 33 normal controls and in 15 children with CH at 5 years 9/12. Based on bone maturation at diagnosis, the CH group was divided into severe (n = 8) and moderate (n = 7) subgroups. CH patients were treated at a median age of 14 days with a mean initial dose of levothyroxine of 11.6 microg/kgxday. Two ERP components (N100 and N200) were measured and clinical follow-up variables collected.


RESULTS
The functional anatomical and cognitive organisation of the auditory system, as revealed by the analyses of ERP measures, did not differ between CH and controls, or between severe and moderate CH subjects. However, N200 latency was globally longer in the CH than in the control group (p = 0.01) and was positively correlated with the over-treatment index (r = 0.61; p < 0.05) and verbal IQ. N200 amplitude was negatively correlated with initial dose (r = -0.74; p < 0.005).


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that sensitive tools such as ERPs can reveal differences between CH and controls and relate these differences to the adequacy of treatment of CH.
Marti
S
S
Department of Psychiatry, Ste Justine Hospital and Research Center, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada.
Alvarez
M
M
Simoneau-Roy
J
J
Leroux
S
S
Van Vliet
G
G
Robaey
P
P
D002675:Child, Preschool; D003409:Congenital Hypothyroidism / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D013974:Thyroxine