CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND ASSOCIATIONS OF POLYCYSTIC THYROID DISEASE IN CHILDREN.

Abstract

Background: Polycystic thyroid disease (PCTD) is a recently defined entity, and its clinical significance has yet to be clarified in children. We aimed to investigate clinical and laboratory associations of PCTD.

Methods: This study included 72 consecutive children diagnosed with PCTD. Auxological measurements, additional clinical diagnoses, ultrasonographic results as thyroid volumes, associated parenchymal diseases and solid nodules, serum thyroid hormone, and autoantibody levels, along with urinary iodine levels, were recorded.

Results: Thirty-two male (mean age: 8.10±4.99 years) and 40 female (mean age: 9.51±4.68 years) patients were evaluated. No significant difference was found among the mean ages of gender groups (p= 0.22). Mean total thyroid volume was 5.49±4.1 mL and the mean colloidal cyst diameter was 4.36±2.34 mm among all participants. Colloidal cysts were found commonly in both thyroid lobes (90.5%). Solid nodules were found in 11% of the patients without a depicted malignant one. Initial thyrotropin (TSH) values were elevated in 29% (mean:10.89±4.66 mIU/L) of the patients, and initial free thyroxine (fT4) levels were normal in all participants. 31.9% of the patients underwent thyroid hormone replacement therapy with a mean L-T4 dosage of 20.01±9.02 μg/day during the follow-up.

Conclusion: PCTD is an increasingly recognized radiological entity that frequently correlates with subclinical hypothyroidism in the pediatric population.