Objective: To report a case of postnatal, postoperative amiodarone-induced hypothyroidism in an infant with a congenital heart defect.
Design: Case report and literature review.
Setting: Pediatric intensive care unit at a freestanding tertiary care children's hospital.
Patient: At 7 wks of age, a female infant with a congenital heart defect was confirmed to have profound hypothyroidism after amiodarone administration for a postoperative cardiac arrhythmia.
Interventions: Levothyroxine treatment.
Measurements and main results: Thyroid function tests were regularly performed to guide levothyroxine dosing. Thyroid hormone replacement was discontinued after the infant had been off amiodarone for 6 mos.
Conclusions: Given the potential adverse developmental consequences associated with hypothyroidism during infancy and early childhood, thyroid function tests should be carefully monitored in any infant treated with amiodarone.