Thyroid function in term newborn infants with congenital goiter.

Eighty-four term newborn infants without goiter and 45 newborn infants with congenital goiter were studied with regard to thyroid function. The radiologic development of the femoral and tibial epiphyses was evaluated in those with goiter. Fifty-eight percent of the patients had retarded bone age, markedly elevated TSH levels, elevated TBI, decreased total T4I, and decreased PBI values. Forty-two percent of newborn infants with congenital goiter had a normal bone age, normal values for TSH, PBI, and total T4I, and elevated values for TBI. It is concluded that the 58% of the newborn infants with congenital goiter had subtle hypothyroidism. They require substitution therapy with thyroid hormones in order to avoid possible retardation of normal brain development. Patients with congenital goiter who have no biochemical evidence of hypothyroidism should also be treated with thyroid hormones to achieve rapid regression of goiter.