Higher frequency of Congenital Hypothyroidism among Newborns, District Dera Ghazi Khan-Punjab, Pakistan: A case control study

Objectives: The study objective was to establish serum TSH cut off value for diagnosis of new case of congenital hypothyroidism and to estimate frequency of Congenital Neonatal Hypothyroidism.

Methods: A case control study was conducted at DHQ Teaching Hospital of DG Khan Medical College, Dera Ghazi Khan during 2020 to establish reference values of TSH and T4 for study population. Sample size was calculated by classical sample size calculation formula Cochran WG 1977 sampling technique. A group of 30 neonates of normal, healthy, euthyroid mothers was taken as Neonatal Control Group to estimate levels of TSH and total T4 in normal neonates. Neonatal Study Group was neonates of hypothyroid mothers (n=75). Simple random sampling technique was applied.

Results: Mean (mean ± SD) Serum TSH levels of Neonatal Control Group were found to be 3.58 ± 03.09 mIU/l. Mean Serum TSH levels among Neonatal Study Group were found to be 6.88 ±12.95 mIU/l and serum total T4 were found to be 16.78 ± 6.96ug/dl on 3-7 days of life. Serum total T4 (mean ± SD) levels of Neonatal Control Group were 9.73 ± 03.39 ug/dl. Neonatal serum TSH more than 15mIU/l was taken as cut off value to diagnose a case of CNH. So, frequency of CNH was 8% among neonates of study group.

Conclusions: The TSH cut off value of >15mIU/l was established for case detection of CNH. Our findings of CNH in district Dera Ghazi Khan (8%) are the highest frequency of CNH reported so far in Pakistan.