THYROID DYSFUNCTION IN LIBYAN CHILDREN WITH DOWN SYNDROME

*Dr. Najwa. H. Abduljawad and Dr. Ibtisam Hadeed

ABSTRACT

Background: Down syndrome (DS) is the most common chromosomal abnormality observed in live born infants. Individuals with DS exhibit a wide range of thyroid dysfunction. In this study, we aimed to document the range of thyroid function in a cohort of Libyan children with DS. Patients & Methods: Observational descriptive study were conducted at 2 centers in Libya (Tripoli Medical Centre, and Al-Thawra hospital) between (2011 – 2018). 183 Libyan children with down syndrome (DS) who were admitted to pediatric department of the 2 centers. Information on age, gender, maternal age at childbirth, presence of congenital anomalies, family history of thyroid disorders, and complete TFTs were obtained and others associated disorder. Results: 183 children with DS were participated in the current study, aged between [5 days – 16 years], there was a slight female predominance (55%). Of the total of 183 DS children, TFTs were normal in 107 children (58%), and were found to be abnormal. In 76 (42%). (30%) have overt thyroid diseases. Overt thyroid diseases including CH (1%), acquired hypothyroidism 83%), and hyperthyroidism (4%), while SCH was found in more than two third of cases (70%) or (53 out of 76 cases). Of 53 cases with SCH, 35 cases showed a spontaneous decrease of TSH to normal level, 10 patients showed persistently elevated TSH level, and thyroxin therapy was started for them, while 8 cases showed fluctuation in TSH level. Conclusion: Thyroid dysfunction is common among Libyan children with DS. SCH represented more than two-third of the thyroid dysfunction in this study. No significant correlation have seen in this study between thyroid dysfunction in children with DS and the presence of congenital anomalies as well as no significant correlation between thyroid dysfunction in DS children and maternal age, in contrast; we have observed a highly significant correlation between thyroid dysfunction in DS children and positive family history of thyroid dysfunction.

Keywords: Children with DS, Thyroid dysfunction, hypothyroidism, SCH, CH.