Thyroid function at diagnosis of type I diabetes.
BACKGROUND
National guidelines recommend that thyroid function is assessed at diagnosis of type I diabetes (TIDM) and annually thereafter. This paper reports an audit of thyroid surveillance in accordance with this guideline.


METHODS
110 patients (66 males), median age 11.3 (1.2-15.7) years at diagnosis of TIDM, were monitored for 2.3 (0.7-4.2) years.


RESULTS
21/110 (19.0%) patients had abnormal thyroid function at diagnosis of TIDM. Of these, 16 had normal thyroid function on reassessment after 45 (3-540) days. Abnormalities of thyroid function occurred more commonly in children with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) than those who did not have DKA (9/29, 31.0% vs 12/81, 14.8%, p<0.025). At the end of the observation period, five (4.5%) patients had minor abnormalities of thyroid function not requiring treatment and three (2.7%) were treated.


CONCLUSIONS
Transient abnormalities of thyroid function are common at diagnosis of TIDM, and therefore, thyroid hormones should not be measured at this time.
Joseph
J
J
Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Eaton Road, Liverpool L12 2AP, UK.
Saroha
V
V
Payne
H
H
Paul
P
P
Didi
M
M
Isherwood
D
D
Blair
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016883:Diabetic Ketoacidosis / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D013960:Thyroid Function Tests / Q000379:methods; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013967:Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood
D013972:Thyrotropin