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 c hildren with minimal thyroid dysfunction (MTD; augmented TSH response to TRH, deficient iodine consumption, goiter, short stature and retard ed bone age), by comparison of prewith post-observation height in peri ods 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) durin g all followup (97 months) showed an important recovery in height (SDS -H = 1.67 +/- 0.93 vs. 1.08 +/- 0.74) which when compared with the unt reated group (n = 8; 114 months; SDS-H = -1.50 +/- 0.83 vs. -1.93 +/- 0.33) was significant (P < 0.001).