Cognitive profiles of patients with early detected and treated congenital hypothyroidism

PARDO CAMPOS, M; MUSSO, M; KESELMAN, A.; GRUÑEIRO PAPENDIECK, L; BERGADÁ, I; CHIESA, A

ARCHIVOS ARGENTINOS DE PEDIATRIA

SOC ARGENTINA PEDIATRIA

Lugar: Buenos Aires; Año: 2017

0325-0075

Introduction. Children with congenitalhypothyroidism (CH) detected by newbornscreening and adequately treated may have mildcognitive deficits.Objectives. To assess the intelligence quotientof children with CH and identify the presenceof specific cognitive deficits.Population and methods. A group of 60 childrenwith CH detected by newborn screening, whowere aged 9-10 years old and received adequatetreatment since their first month of life wasselected and compared to a control group of60 children without CH in the same age range.Inclusion criteria: children without concurrentdiseases, who were attending school in a singleshift, and whose parents had at least completedsecondary education.The following tests were administered duringindividual interviews: the Wechsler IntelligenceScale for Children (third edition), the Rey complexfigure test, the Woodcock-Muñoz revised test,the Conners Continuous Performance Test II,the Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities,the verbal fluency test, the Knox Cube Test, theTrail Making Test, the faces test, and the 5 digittest. The statistical analysis was done usingStudent?s t tests (for independent samples) withBonferroni?s correction (p < 0.002).Results. Even within the normal average range,significant differences were observed betweenboth groups in terms of total intelligence quotientand performance intelligence quotient (small andmoderate effect sizes, respectively). In terms ofperformance, children with hypothyroidism hada significantly poorer performance in processingspeed, reaction times, attention, cognitiveflexibility, visuoconstruction, and long-termmemory. No significant differences were foundbetween both groups in the verbal area.Conclusions. Children with congenitalhypothyroidism and without mental disabilityhad mild cognitive deficits, which should betaken into account for a comprehensive patientcare.