Endicrinologists want central policy for hypothyroidism test

Stressing that there should a central policy to make tests for congenital hypothyroidism mandatory, top endocrinologists of the city today said its early diagnosis and adequate treatment in a newborn baby would result in normal growth and intelligence.
They said in congenital hypothyroidism the child suffers from mental retardation and below normal physical growth.
"Most newborn babies with congenital hypothyroidism appear normal at birth even if there is complete lack of development of the thyroid gland.
This is because a small amount of thyroid hormone (T4) from the mother is transferred to the baby during pregnancy. If left untreated, the damage becomes irreversible," SSKM hospital Head of Department, Endocrinology Subhankar Chowdhury said.

Chowdhury was speaking at a panel discussion on the condition.
Among other endocrinologists, SSKM hospital Head of Department, Endocrinology NRS Medical College, Nilanjan Sengupta and Associate Professor Endocrinology Department SSKM Sujoy Ghosh were present.

Ghosh said there was a need to frame a legislation mandating a universal screening programme for newborns.
"The state governments should work towards setting up a process for screening of newborns for several conditions, including congenital hypothyroidism," he said.
He noted that worldwide the condition affects one in 3,800 newborn babies while in India, as per a recent study by the Indian Council of Medical Research, its prevalence is one in 2,640 newborns.

Asked if the disease could be detected during pregnancy,
Chowdhury said because congenital hypothyroidism most commonly was not a heritable disorder it was not possible to identify a population of pregnant women who are at high risk for fetal hypothyroidism.
"Most cases are not familital and are discovered when routine ultrasonography discloses a fetal goitre. In addition, if a pregnant woman with Graves' disease is treated with anti- thyroid drugs the foetus is at risk of hypothyroidism. If the mother has been exposed to radioactive iodine, then the baby has increased risk of CH," Chowdhury said.
Once detected, the treatment of the babies should be initiated within the first few weeks on thyroid hormone replacement. Levothyroxine, a synthetic thyroid hormone similar to the hormone made by the thyroid gland, given orally is the treatment of choice, the doctors opined.