OBJECTIVETo evaluate the results of treatment of infants with congenital hypothyroidism (CH) with a low initial dosage of levothyroxine.

METHODS138 newborns with primary CH detected by neonatal screening were divided into 3 groups according to levels of serum TSH, TT(3) and TT(4): sub-clinical CH (TSH >50 mU/L), mild CH (TT(4) <54 nmol/L), severe CH (TT(4)<54 nmol/L and TT(3)<1.2 nmol/L). The initial dose of levothyroxine was (3.5 +/-1.0) microg/(kg.d) for sub-clinical CH group, (4.3 +/-0.7)microg/(kg.d) for mild CH group and (4.7 +/- 0.6)microg/(kg.d) for severe CH group. Follow-up evaluation was carried out at 1, 2 and 3 months of age by measuring serum levels of TT(3), TT(4) and TSH. The time, when clinical signs and symptoms were eliminated and serum levels of TT(3), TT(4) and TSH normalized, was recorded. Development Quotient (DQ) testing was performed when CH cases were about 2 years old.

RESULTSThe mean initial dose of levothyroxine in 138 cases was (4.3 +/-0.9)microg/(kg.d). In one month the serum TT(3) and TT(4) levels returned to normal, while for TSH levels 67.4 % cases reached normal range in 2 months and 84.1 % in 3 months. Two months after therapy, the levels of TT(3) and TT(4) reached to the upper half of normal range and there were no signs or symptoms of hypothyroidism. The time for all cases in 3 groups to reach the normal clinical and biochemical indicators was similar (P=0.925). The dosage for cases with low circulating thyroxine before treatment was higher than that of the other groups (P<0.01). The average DQ score of 18 cases after treatment was 116.7 +/- 17.0.

CONCLUSIONhe levothyroxine dosage of (4.3 +/- 0.9)microg/(kg.d) is appropriate for the initial treatment of the majority of infants with CH. However it is better to individualize the dosage for each case.