title: Clinical features at diagnosis and responses to antithyroid drugs in younger children with Graves' disease compared with adolescent patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, and effects of antithyroid drugs in younger children with Graves' disease (GD).
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective and collaborative study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nine facilities in Chiba prefecture, Japan.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed 132 children and adolescents with GD. The subjects were divided according to the median age into a group of young children (group I, 4.1-12.4 years, n=66) and an adolescent group (group II, 12.5-15.9 years, n=66).
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, incidence of adverse effects, and remission rates 5 years after initial therapy were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean height SD score of group I (1.0) was higher than that of group II (0.3, p<0.001). The mean BMI SD score of group I (-0.7) was lower than that of group II (-0.3, p<0.05). The most common presentations were goiter, sweating, and hyperactivity in group I, whereas the most common presentations were goiter, sweating, and easy fatigability in group II. Hyperactivity was more frequent in group I (56.7%) than in group II (37.9%, p<0.05). Liver dysfunction appeared more often in group I (14.3%) than in group II (1.9%, p<0.05). There was no difference in the appearance of adverse effects between the two groups. The remission rate was slightly lower in group I (23.1%) than in group II (31.3%), but was not significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thyrotoxicosis had more influence on the growth and liver function in younger children.
authors.forename: Hirokazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Kanshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Minamitani
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Minagawa
authors.forename: Itsuro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kazukawa
authors.forename: Shigetaka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sugihara
authors.forename: Kunio
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wataki
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Konda
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Inomata
authors.forename: Kazunori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sanayama
authors.forename: Yoichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kohno
authors.forename: Nozomu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sasaki
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D013956:Antithyroid Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006128:Growth; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008099:Liver / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008713:Methimazole / Q000009:adverse effects; D011441:Propylthiouracil / Q000009:adverse effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013971:Thyrotoxicosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D013956:Antithyroid Agents; D008713:Methimazole; D011441:Propylthiouracil