title: Evaluation of Subclinical Hypothyroidism in Children and Adolescents: A Single-Center Study.
abstract: The main purpose of our retrospective study was to evaluate the medical care of the patients with subclinical hypothyroidism (sHT) and to investigate the rationale for administering L-thyroxine (LT-4) to young sHT patients. Patients and Methods. Based on a retrospective review of the charts of 261 patients referred to the Endocrinology Outpatient Clinic between 2009 and 2014 with suspicion of sHT, 55 patients were enrolled for further analysis. Data collected was baseline age, anthropometric measurements, serum TSH, fT4, fT3, anti-thyroid autoantibodies, positive family history, absence/presence of clinical symptoms, length of follow-up, and data concerning LT-4 therapy (therapy: T1; no therapy: T0). Results. T1 encompassed 33 (60.0%) patients. There were no differences between T1 and T0 (p > 0.05) with regard to age, TSH concentrations, BMI Z-score, and hSDS values, though follow-up was longer in T1 (p < 0.01). Four (11.8%) children in T1 and none in T0 had a positive family history of thyroid disorders. Fifteen (68.2%) patients in group T0 became euthyroid. One (1.8%) girl (T1) developed overt hypothyroidism. Conclusions. A small percentage of patients can proceed to overt hypothyroidism. Only positive family history seemed to influence the decision to initiate LT-4 therapy. Further prospective studies are warranted in order to establish treatment indications, if any, and the mean recommended dosage of LT-4.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Medical Students' Scientific Association, Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Endocrinology, Ulica Medykow 16, 40-752 Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Kamila
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7478-7721
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Such
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Endocrinology, Ulica Medykow 16, 40-752 Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Aneta
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9309-4741
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gawlik
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Medical Students' Scientific Association, Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Endocrinology, Ulica Medykow 16, 40-752 Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7451-8396
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dejner
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric, Gynecological, Microbiological and Biomedical Sciences, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria, 98125 Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Malgorzata
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-9090-2574
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wasniewska
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Endocrinology, Ulica Medykow 16, 40-752 Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zachurzok
authors.affiliation: Upper-Silesian Pediatric Health Center, Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Endocrinology, Ulica Medykow 16, 40-752 Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8990-1355
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antosz
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine and Endocrine Oncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie, Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Gliwice Branch, Ulica Wybrzeze Armii Krajowej 15, 44-400 Gliwice, Poland.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gawlik
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Endocrinology, Ulica Medykow 16, 40-752 Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2693-7622
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Malecka-Tendera