Thyroid hormone resistance detected by routine neonatal screening

Arq Bras Endocrinol Metabol. 2010 Nov;54(8):723-7. doi: 10.1590/s0004-27302010000800010.

Abstract

We report the clinical and laboratory findings, and molecular analysis of a Brazilian patient with resistance to thyroid hormone syndrome (RTH) detected by neonatal screening. The index case was born at term by normal delivery with 2,920 g and 45 cm. TSH of the neonatal screening test performed on the 5(th) day of life was of 13.1 µU/mL (cut-off = 10 µU/mL). In a confirmatory test, serum TSH level was 4.3 µU/mL, total T4 was 19 µg/dL (confirmed in another sample, Total T4 = > 24.0 µg/dL), free T4 was 3.7 ηg/dL, and free T3 was 6.7 pg/mL. Direct sequencing of the beta thyroid hormone receptor gene revealed mutation c.1357C>A (P453T), confirming the diagnosis of RHT. Family study demonstrated the presence of RTH in his 1-year-and-3-month-old sister, in his 35-year-old father, and in his 68-year-old paternal grandfather. All of them had goiter and only his father had received an erroneous diagnosis of hyperthyroidism. The present case shows that clinical evaluation and a judicious interpretation of total T4/free T4 concentrations in a newborn recalled due to slightly altered neonatal TSH can contribute to the diagnosis of RTH.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Mutation
  • Neonatal Screening / standards*
  • Pedigree
  • Receptors, Thyroid Hormone / genetics
  • Thyroid Hormone Resistance Syndrome / diagnosis*
  • Thyroid Hormone Resistance Syndrome / genetics
  • Thyroid Hormones / blood

Substances

  • Receptors, Thyroid Hormone
  • Thyroid Hormones