In a cross-sectional study, 29 children aged between 1 month and 15.3 years
(average age 6.8 years) born to mothers with Graves disease or Hashimoto t
hyroiditis were examined clinically, biochemically, and by sonography of th
e thyroid gland. At the time of examination all children were clinically eu
thyroid. Tests of thyroid peroxidase antibody, thyroglobulin antibody, TSH
receptor antibody and free thyroxine (fT(4)) gave normal results. In 3 chil
dren subclinical hypothyroidism with elevated TSH and normal fT4 concentrat
ions were found: one of these children had a minor decrease of total thyrox
ine. Three children with otherwise normal test results had marginally eleva
ted triiodothyronine concentrations. Increased antibody titres were present
in 8 out of 29 children. TSH function-blocking antibodies were elevated in
8 cases. In addition, cytotoxic antibodies were found in one of the childr
en. The distribution pattern of antibodies was different in each child and
unrelated to the type of maternal thyroid disease.
Conclusion Children of mothers with auto-immune thyroid disease often have
thyroid antibodies without signs of thyroid disease. Whether antibody-posit
ive children have an increased risk of developing thyroid disorders later i
n life must be examined in a longitudinal study.