NEONATAL HYPERTHYROIDISM DUE TO TSH-RECEP TOR-ANTIBODIES IN MATERNAL GRAVES-DISEASE

Between July 1993 and December 1994 five term infants of mothers with Graves' disease were hospitalised at the Frubgeburtenstation of the Un iv.-Frauenklinik Graz. Four Mothers had elevated TSH-receptor-antibody (TRAb) - levels during pregnancy, one bad normalised TRAb-titers. In one case hyperthyroidism was first diagnosed during pregnancy. Three n ewborns had elevated TRAb-titers; in one of them thyrotoxicosis was di agnosed clinically and biochemically at the second day of life, one ne wborn had mild hyperthyroidism with tachycardia at the end of the firs t week of life and one newborn was asymptomatic by immediately initiat ed therapy. The two other newborns had normal thyroid hormone and anti -body levels and no symptoms or signs of hyperthyroidism. The cases ar e reported and discussed in detail and our overall approach to diagnos is and treatment of neonatal hyperthyroidism in case of maternal Grave s' disease will be given.