Ultrasound scanning assessment of L-thyroxine treatment effectiveness in a group of children with diffuse goiter.

Abstract

Ultrasound scanning is an accurate and objective method to assess thyroid volume; therefore it is useful to evaluate the effectiveness of L-thyroxine treatment in reducing goiter size, especially in children where clinical evaluation is inaccurate. In this prospectic study we evaluated the effectiveness of one-year L-thyroxine treatment in a group of children with nontoxic diffuse goiter coming from an area with low iodine intake. We examined 11 children (7 females, 4 males), age range 9-14 years. At clinical examination, 6 patients had a goiter classified Ia (according to WHO criteria), 4 had a class Ib and only 1 had a class II goiter. In order to achieve an accurate goiter evaluation, the thyroid volume was determined by ultrasonic scanning with a 5 MHz linear probe before and after treatment. Patients were given a dose of L-thyroxine (1.5-2.0 micrograms/kg/die) in order to significantly reduce serum TSH levels (from 1.8 +/- 0.6 to 0.8 +/- 0.5 mU/l, mean +/- SD). Patients were reexamined at 12 months of therapy and again at 10 months after therapy withdrawal. A significant reduction of the goiter volume (greater than 20%) was obtained in 6/11 (54%) patients, although serum TSH levels were fully suppressed only in one. The mean goiter size reduction in "responders" was -31.2 +/- 9.3% (m +/- SE). After therapy withdrawal goiter size increased in the majority of cases (in 4/11, greater than 20%). Our study demonstrates that L-thyroxine treatment is effective in reducing goiter size in the majority of children with a diffuse goiter.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

• Authors: C Regalbuto, A Belfiore, D Giuffrida, A Ippolito, R M Motta, L Sava
• Journal: Journal of endocrinological investigation (J Endocrinol Invest) Vol. 14 Issue 8 Pg. 675-8 (Sep 1991) ISSN: 0391-4097 [Print] Italy
• PMID: 1774452 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Thyroid Hormones
• Thyroxine

Topics

• Adolescent
• Child
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Goiter (blood, diagnostic imaging, drug therapy)
• Humans
• Male
• Prospective Studies
• Thyroid Hormones (blood)
• Thyroxine (therapeutic use)
• Ultrasonography