HYPERTHYROIDISM IN INFANTS AND CHILDREN

*Tejas Godase and Bugubaeva Mahabat Mitalipovna PhD MD

ABSTRACT

In infants, hyperthyroidism is rare but potentially life-threatening. It develops in fetuses of women with current or prior Graves disease. In Graves disease, maternal autoantibodies against the thyroid receptor for thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) overstimulate thyroid hormone production by binding to TSH receptors in the thyroid gland. These antibodies cross the placenta and cause thyroid hyperfunction in the fetus (intrauterine Graves disease), which can result in fetal death or preterm birth due to fetal hyperactivity or tachycardia. Because infants clear the antibodies after birth, neonatal Graves disease is usually transient. However, because the clearance rate varies, duration of neonatal Graves disease varies.

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