Natural history of thyroid function in adults with Down syndrome--10-year follow-up study

J Intellect Disabil Res. 2007 Apr;51(Pt 4):312-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2788.2006.00879.x.

Abstract

Background: The natural history of thyroid function in adults with Down syndrome (DS) is unknown.

Method: This study investigated annual thyroid function tests in 200 adults with DS over a 10-year period.

Results: Transient and persistent thyroid dysfunction was common. The 5- and 10-year incidence of definite hypothyroidism was 0.9%-1.64% and 13.6%, respectively. Subclinical hypothyroidism was not found to be an early sign for definite hypothyroidism.

Conclusions: Routine screening for adults with DS who are euthyroid can be reduced to every 5 years rather than the present policy of every 1-2 years.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Distribution
  • Aged
  • Comorbidity
  • Down Syndrome / epidemiology*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prevalence
  • Sentinel Surveillance
  • Thyroid Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Thyroid Function Tests / methods
  • Thyrotropin
  • Time
  • United Kingdom / epidemiology

Substances

  • Thyrotropin