Pubertal development and adult height in patients with congenital hypothyroidism detected by neonatal screening in southern Brazil

Cerebral Cortical Thickness Morphometry and Neurocognitive Correlations in Adolescents With Congenital Hypothyroidism

CONTEXT

Subtle cognitive impairments have been described in children with congenital hypothyroidism (CH) detected by neonatal screening (NS), even with early and adequate treatment. Patients with CH may present with brain cortical thickness (CT) abnormalities, which may be associated with neurocognitive impairments.

OBJECTIVE

This work aimed to evaluate the CT in adolescents with CH detected by the NS Program (Paraná, Brazil), and to correlate possible abnormalities with cognitive level and variables of neurocognitive prognosis.

METHODS

A review was conducted of medical records followed by psychometric evaluation of adolescents with CH. Brain magnetic resonance imaging with analysis of 33 brain areas of each hemisphere was performed in 41 patients (29 girls) and in a control group of 20 healthy adolescents. CT values were correlated with Full-scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ) scores, age at start of treatment, pretreatment thyroxine levels, and maternal schooling.

RESULTS

No significant difference in CT between patients and controls were found. However, there was a trend toward thinning in the right lateral orbitofrontal cortex among patients and in the right postcentral gyrus cortex among controls. CT correlated significantly with FSIQ scores and with age at start of treatment in 1 area, and with hypothyroidism severity in 5 brain areas. Maternal schooling level did not correlate with CT but was significantly correlated with FSIQ. Cognitive level was within average in 44.7% of patients (13.2% had intellectual deficiency).

CONCLUSION

There was a trend toward morphometric alterations in the cerebral cortex of adolescents with CH compared with healthy controls. The correlations between CT and variables of neurocognitive prognosis emphasize the influence of hypothyroidism on cortical development. Socioeconomic status exerts a limiting factor on cognitive outcome.

Cognitive outcome of 458 children over 25 years of neonatal screening for congenital hypothyroidism

OBJECTIVES

To describe the neurocognitive profile of 458 children with congenital hypothyroidism detected by neonatal screening, followed under the same treatment protocol over 25 years. To correlate estimated full-scale IQ (FSIQ) scores with age at the start of treatment, disease severity, and maternal education.

METHODS

Observational, analytical, retrospective, and longitudinal cohort study, that evaluated children detected between 1991 and 2014, who underwent at least one psychometric assessment (WPPSI- R and/or WISC-III). Estimated FSIQ scores are described and correlated with prognosis determinants.

RESULTS

Median T4 at diagnosis was 2.8 μg/dL (0.0-16.5), the median age at the start of treatment was 18.5 days (3-309). Maternal education (n = 445): 2.7% of illiteracy, 59.8% with basic education. Estimated FSIQ scores were 88.0 (±11.8) in WPPSI-R (age 5.6 ± 0.5 years) and 84.1 (±13.0) in WISC-III (age 9.1 ± 1.4 years). The intellectual deficit was identified in 11.6%. Correlation between age at the start of treatment and estimated FSIQ was found only in the WPPSI-R test (p = 0.02). Initial T4 and maternal education significantly correlated with estimated FSIQ scores in both tests, with the latter being the most important determining factor.

CONCLUSIONS

In this large cohort of mainly low socioeconomic status children, most children achieved normal cognitive levels; however, a significant percentage presented with below-average estimated FSIQ scores and intellectual deficits. Maternal education was the main determining factor in cognitive level followed by hypothyroidism severity.

Vocal Characteristics of Children With Short Stature Before and After Growth Hormone Treatment

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the vocal characteristics of children with short stature before and 12 months after growth hormone treatment.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This analytical, observational cohort study included 23 children (age 5-11 years) diagnosed with short stature. Children in the short stature group (SSG) were matched (1:1) for age and sex with children with normal growth (normal stature group; NSG). Participants in the SSG underwent assessments before and 12 months after growth hormone treatment, while those in the NSG underwent the same assessments at baseline and 12 months. The assessments included evaluation of (A) vocal characteristics (history, vocal self-assessment, auditory-perceptual evaluation, and acoustic analysis), (B) anthropometry, (C) bone age, and (D) measurement of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels.

RESULTS

Children in the SSG had more vocal complaints (P = 0.026) than those in the NSG. The groups were similar in terms of vocal self-assessment and auditory-perceptual evaluation (P = nonsignificant). Results of acoustic analysis were also similar for fundamental frequency (F 0) and perturbation measures (P for both = nonsignificant). F 0 and speech frequency decreased significantly at 12 months in both groups. F1 values were higher at 12 months in the NSG, while F2 values were significantly higher in the baseline evaluation in boys in the SSG. Children in the SSG compared with those in the NSG presented a greater increase in height measurements at 12 months, although the anthropometric means were lower in both evaluations (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Vocal characteristics in children with short stature before and after treatment with growth hormone are comparable to those in children with normal growth.