title: Neonatal screening for congenital hypothyroidism: a retrospective hospital based study from Bahrain.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neonatal screening programs for congenital hypothyroidism (CH) are now widespread in developed countries.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Cord blood thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) was evaluated for the incidence of CH in Bahrain Defense Force hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Those neonates with cord blood TSH values >25 mU/l were recalled. Permanent CH was reported when the levels of TSH and free T4 (fT4) venous blood samples were > or =15 mUl and <12 pmol/l, respectively, with abnormal thyroid scan.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 714 recalled newborns, 23 (10 males and 13 females) were diagnosed with transient TSH elevation with an estimated incidence of 1:774 births and 6 (3 males and 3 females) were diagnosed with permanent CH with an overall estimated incidence of 1:2,967 births.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High incidence rates for CH reported in this hospital-based study suggest the need for a national screening program for this congenital endocrine disorder in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
authors.affiliation: Al-Jawhara Centre for Neonatal Screening and Genetic Diagnosis and Research, College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, AGU, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain. jamalgo@agu.edu.bh
authors.forename: Jamal
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Golbahar
authors.forename: Haya
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Al-Khayyat
authors.forename: Babiker
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.forename: Wahid
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Agab
authors.forename: Essa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.forename: Abdulla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Darwish
mesh_terms: D001445:Bahrain / Q000453:epidemiology; D003409:Congenital Hypothyroidism / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood; D006761:Hospitals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D020380:Needs Assessment; D015997:Neonatal Screening; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D013972:Thyrotropin