Social and clinical factors associated with the early diagnosis of hypothyroidism in Down syndrome

Abstract

Objective: To establish the social and clinical factors associated with the early diagnosis of hypothyroidism in patients with Down syndrome in a highly complex hospital in Colombia. Methodology: An observational, cross-sectional and analytic study was conducted in patients with hypothyroidism and Down syndrome aged three years old or younger, attended between the years 2017 - 2018. We had as secondary source the information of the clinical histories and as primary source a telephone survey carried out to the caregiver of the patient, we evaluated demographic, social and clinical variables. Results: 144 clinical histories were evaluated, of which 78 were able to comply with the variables; 32 patients presented hypothyroidism and with them the investigation was carried out. The early diagnosis of hypothyroidism, understood as that before 6 months of age, was 59. 4%. Clinical hypothyroidism was 71. 1% with connection to the subclinical, 87. 5% had thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels lower than 15 mU/L neonatal and 3% of the population had congenital hypothyroidism. 50% of cases were diagnosed with hypothyroidism in the first three months of life. The height at birth in relation to the early diagnosis of hypothyroidism presented an RP: 14, IC 95%: 1.06-186. Conclusions: Early diagnosis of hypothyroidism has an association by the size of the patients at birth. Continuous monitoring of thyroid function in the first months and years of life of patients with Down syndrome, independent of neonatal TSH values, should be performed.