ISSN: 1308-5727 | E-ISSN: 1308-5735
Volume: 16 Issue: 1 Year: 2024
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Turkish Society for Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes
Serum Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone Levels and Body Mass Index Percentiles in Children with Primary Hypothyroidism on Levothyroxine Replacement [J Clin Res Pediatr Endocrinol]
J Clin Res Pediatr Endocrinol. 2017; 9(4): 337-343 | DOI: 10.4274/jcrpe.3661

Serum Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone Levels and Body Mass Index Percentiles in Children with Primary Hypothyroidism on Levothyroxine Replacement

Asma Shaoba1, Sanjib Basu2, Stelios Mantis3, Carla Minutti3
1RUSH University Graduate College, Masters in Clinical Research Program, Chicago, Illinois, USA
2RUSH University Graduate College, Department of Preventive Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
3RUSH University Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Objective: To determine the association, if any, between thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels and body mass index (BMI) percentiles in children with primary hypothyroidism who are chemically euthyroid and on treatment with levothyroxine.
Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study consisted of a review of medical records from RUSH Medical Center and Stroger Hospital, Chicago, USA of children with primary hypothyroidism who were seen in the clinic from 2008 to 2014 and who were chemically euthyroid and on treatment with levothyroxine for at least 6 months. The patients were divided into two groups based on their TSH levels (0.34-<2.5 mIU/L and ?2.5-5.6 mIU/L). The data were analyzed by Spearman rank correlation, linear regression, cross tabulation and chi-square, Mann-Whitney U test, and Kruskal-Wallis test.
Results: One hundred and forty-six children were included, of which 26% were obese (BMI ?95%), 21.9% overweight (BMI ?85-<95%), and 52.1% of a healthy weight (BMI ?5-<85%). There was a significant positive correlation between TSH and BMI percentiles (r=0.274, p=0.001) and a significant negative correlation between TSH and serum free T4 (r=-0.259, p=0.002). In the lower TSH group, 68.4% of the children had a healthy weight, while the percentage of obese children was 60.5% in the upper TSH group (p=0.012).
Conclusion: In children diagnosed with primary hypothyroidism who are chemically euthyroid on treatment with levothyroxine, there is a positive association between higher TSH levels and higher BMI percentiles. However, it is difficult to establish if the higher TSH levels are a direct cause or a consequence of the obesity. Further studies are needed to establish causation beyond significant association.

Keywords: Thyroid-stimulating hormone,hypothyroidism,pediatric,children,obesity,body mass index,euthyroid

Asma Shaoba, Sanjib Basu, Stelios Mantis, Carla Minutti. Serum Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone Levels and Body Mass Index Percentiles in Children with Primary Hypothyroidism on Levothyroxine Replacement. J Clin Res Pediatr Endocrinol. 2017; 9(4): 337-343
Manuscript Language: English
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