ANTITHYROID ANTIBODIES AND THYROID-DYSFUNCTION IN SAUDI CHILDREN WITHDOWN-SYNDROME

Fifty children (ages seven months to nine years) with Down syndrome co mpared with age and sex matched controls were tested for antithyroid a ntibodies. Seven (14%) of the Down group were found to be seropositive ; six (12%) for antimicrosomal antibodies; three for both antimicrosom al and antithyroglobulin; none was positive for antithyroglobulin alon e. All the control group were seronegative and had no clinical evidenc e of thyroid disease. Three (6%) of the Down group had hypothyroidism, two due to autoimmune thyroiditis and one had thyroid dysgenesis; one of the previous two had insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. One chil d had Graves disease. Thyroid dysfunction was not previously suspected in the two symptomatic children. In view of our findings, recommendat ions are made to regularly screen these children for autoantibodies an d evidence of thyroid dysfunction.