Permanent and transient congenital hypothyroidism (CH) and the relevant factors in infants born during 2011-13 in Hormozgan province Download PDF

Background and Purpose of the Study: Congenital hypothyroidism is among the most prevalent preventable causes of mental retardation among infants. A timely diagnosis and treatment can contribute greatly to the prevention of irreparable cerebral/auditory effects. Therefore, the present research aimed to investigate the occurrence of permanent and transient hypothyroidism and its underlying factors in infants born during 2011-13 in Hormozgan province. Materials and Methods: The present descriptive, cross-sectional research was retrospective in type and was conducted in Hormozgan on 91,938 infants born from March 2011 to the end of February 2013. The occurrence rate of permanent and transient hypothyroidismwas estimated through thyroid tests and the data were analyzed statistically via SPSS v.21. Results: The overall occurrence of congenital hypothyroidism in three years was estimated to be 1:574. In169 patients with CH, 107 patients were diagnosed with permanent CH (63.31%) and 48 with transient hypothyroidism(28.40%).14 patient were not referred to determining the permanency of CH. This study also revealed a statistically significant correlation between CH and geographical place of resdience. Conclusion: The overall results indicated a higher rate of CH in south Iran and a higher rate of permanent CH than the global rate. It harshly requires meticulous tests upon childbirth so as to prevent mental retardation as far as possible and also cut down on the financial costs imposed on the healthcare system.