Effect of thyroid replacement therapy on the stature of Colombian children with minimal thyroid dysfunction

The effect of thyroid replacement therapy (TRT) was evaluated in 372 children with minimal thyroid dysfunction (MTD ; augmented TSH response to TRH, deficient iodine consumption, goiter, short stature and retarded bone age), by comparison of pre-with post-observation height in periods of 6 months with and without TRT alternated. A significant (P< 0.05) height recovery was observed when children received TRT ; however, during the period without TRT they showed a negative height recovery. Additionally, we followed 51 children with MTD who were observed from Tanner I until final height. The group with L-thyroxine (n = 43) during all follow-up (97 months) showed an important recovery in height (SDS-H = 1.67 ± 0.93 vs. 1.08 ± 0.74) which when compared with the untreated group (n = 8 ; 114 months ; SDS-H = -1.50 ± 0.83 vs. -1.93 ± 0.33) was significant (P < 0.001).