THYROID-FUNCTION IN LEGG-CALVE-PERTHES DISEASE - CROSS-SECTIONAL AND LONGITUDINAL-STUDY

Thyroid function was studied in 59 consecutive children with Legg-Calv e-Perthes disease (LCPD) and 239 controls. The subjects of both groups were generally euthyroid. In the Perthes group, however, plasma conce ntrations of free thyroxin (FT4) were increased by 16% (p < 10(-8)) an d those of free triiodothyronine (FT3) were increased by 10% (p < 0.00 1) as compared with controls. There was a tendency toward higher FT4 l evels in children with necrosis of more than one half of the femoral h ead (p < 0.015), as compared with those with lesser involvement. The o bserved moderate hormonal changes were already evident at the time of diagnosis of LCPD and were not appreciably influenced by stage of dise ase or mode of treatment, as determined by longitudinal evaluation of 38 children. Our data may support the assumption of other investigator s that systemic abnormalities exist in children with LCPD, but the rel ation between these findings and the femoral head necrosis is not know n.