Objectives: To study the effect of levothyroxine sodium tablets on the growth and development and thyroid function in preterm infants with thyroid dysfunction.
Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed for 82 preterm infants who were born in the Department of Obstetrics of the First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2017, and these infants were hospitalized after birth in the Department of Neonatology of the hospital. They were regularly followed up to observe growth and development and thyroid function at the outpatient service of the Department of Neonatology. According to thyroid function test results, they were divided into an abnormal thyroid function group (observation group; n=31) and a normal thyroid function group (control group; n=51). The infants in the observation group were given oral administration of levothyroxine sodium tablets, while those in the control group were not given any treatment. The two groups were compared in terms of the physical and intelligence development and thyroid function of preterm infants with various gestational ages (28-<32 weeks, 32-<34 weeks, and 34-<37 weeks) after regular follow-up to the corrected age of 12 months.
Results: There were no significant differences in physical development indices (body length, body weight, and head circumference) between the observation and control groups at various gestational ages after follow-up to the corrected age of 12 months (P>0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups in the scores of each functional area of the Gesell Developmental Scale among the preterm infants with a gestational age of 28-<32 weeks and 32-<34 weeks after follow-up to the corrected age of 12 months (P>0.05). For the preterm infants with a gestational age of 34-<37 weeks, compared with the control group, the observation group had a significantly lower score of gross motor ability at the age of 3 and 12 months, significantly lower scores of fine motor ability, language ability, and adaptation ability at the age of 12 months (P<0.05), and a significantly lower score of personal-social ability at the age of 3 months (P<0.05). However, the score of personal-social ability in the observation group was not significantly different from the control group at the age of 12 months (P>0.05). After 2-4 weeks of treatment with levothyroxine sodium tablets, the thyroid function of the 31 preterm infants with thyroid dysfunction returned to normal. Among the 31 infants, 21 (68%) achieved complete drug withdrawal, with normal results of neonatal screening (100%); 10 infants (32%) failed to achieve drug withdrawal, and only 2 (20%) out of the 10 infants had normal neonatal screening results (P<0.05).
Conclusions: Early diagnosis and reasonable treatment can reduce the impact on growth and development in preterm infants with thyroid dysfunction. Most preterm infants tend to have transient thyroid dysfunction, while those with positive results of neonatal screening are more likely to develop permanent thyroid dysfunction.
目的: 探讨甲状腺功能异常早产儿给予左旋甲状腺素钠片治疗后对生长发育及甲状腺功能的影响。方法: 选取2013年1月1日至2017年12月31日在云南省第一人民医院产科出生后于该院新生儿科住院，并在该院新生儿随访门诊定期随访生长发育及甲状腺功能情况的早产儿82例为研究对象行回顾性分析。根据甲状腺功能检测结果分为甲状腺功能异常组（观察组，n=31）和甲状腺功能正常组（对照组，n=51）。观察组给予口服左旋甲状腺素钠片，对照组未予干预，比较不同胎龄（28周≤胎龄<32周、32周≤胎龄<34周、34周≤胎龄<37周）两组早产儿定期随访至矫正年龄12月龄时的体格、智力发育情况及甲状腺功能的转归。结果: 不同胎龄两组早产儿随访至矫正年龄12月龄时，体格发育指标（身长、体重、头围）比较差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。28周≤胎龄<32周和32周≤胎龄<34周早产儿Gesell发育量表各能区评分随访至矫正年龄12月龄时，在观察组和对照组间比较差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。34周≤胎龄<37周早产儿，观察组的大运动能评分在3月龄和12月龄时低于对照组，精细动作能、语言能、适应性能评分在12月龄时均低于对照组（P<0.05）；个人-社会性能评分在3月龄时低于对照组（P<0.05），但在12月龄时与对照组比较差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。甲状腺功能异常早产儿给予左旋甲状腺素钠片治疗，2~4周甲状腺功能均恢复正常，甲状腺功能恢复正常并完全停药的患儿有21例（68%），其新生儿疾病筛查结果均正常（100%）；未能停药患儿10例（32%），仅2例筛查结果正常，与甲状腺功能恢复正常并完全停药患儿的新生儿疾病筛查结果比较差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。结论: 甲状腺功能异常早产儿及早诊断并进行合理规范的治疗，可以在一定程度上减少对生长发育的影响。早产儿甲状腺功能异常多为暂时性，新生儿筛查结果呈阳性的早产儿发展为永久性甲状腺功能异常的可能性大。.
Keywords: Intelligence development; Physical development; Preterm infant; Thyroid dysfunction.