To Study the Incidence of Congenital Hypothyroidism in Babies With Exaggerated Physiological Jaundice

Abstract

Background: Congenital hypothyroidism is well known cause of prolonged unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia and appears to be associated with the delayed maturation of hepatic uridine diphosphate glucoronyl transferase enzyme activity.
 Methods: This is a prospective, longitudinal and randomized study 100 babies are taken consisting of all newborn, age less than 28 days, admitted to hospital with exaggerated physiological jaundice.
 Results: One case of congenital hypothyroidism in exaggerated jaundice based on raised TSH levels. Rest of the cases (99%) having normal TSH levels. One case (1%) having TSH level of 48µu/ml on D7 of life indicating congenital hypothyroidism. TSB of this baby is 21.3 mg%. One baby is having TSH level of 30.4µu/ml on D3 of life which subsequently decreased to normal physiological limits on D7 of life.
 Conclusion: Though the present study is unable to make significant correlation between cause and effect relationship of neonatal exaggerated jaundice and congenital hypothyroidism, but as one case has diagnosed to be suffering from congenital hypothyroidism, TSH should be considered as a screening test for all babies suffering from exaggerated physiological jaundice besides the other predisposing factors responsible for causation of hypothyroidism.
 Keywords: Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, Preterm, Congenital hypothyroidism