Abstract
Advances of perinatal and neonatal medicine have been associated with a progressive reduction in mortality of premature infants and a progressive increase in number of the surviving very low birth weight (VLBW) cohort less than 28 to 32 weeks gestation age. Hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) function is immature in most premature infants, and this is particularly true of the VLBW group. Accumulated information has allowed development of a unique nosology of HPT system disorders in these infants to facilitate thyroid function testing, test interpretation, and patient management.
MeSH terms
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Congenital Hypothyroidism*
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Fetal Organ Maturity
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Humans
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Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / physiopathology
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Hypothyroidism / diagnosis
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Hypothyroidism / drug therapy
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Hypothyroidism / metabolism*
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Hypothyroidism / physiopathology
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Infant, Newborn
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Infant, Premature, Diseases / diagnosis
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Infant, Premature, Diseases / drug therapy
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Infant, Premature, Diseases / metabolism*
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Infant, Premature, Diseases / physiopathology
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Infant, Very Low Birth Weight
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Pituitary Gland / physiopathology
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Thyroid Function Tests
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Thyroid Gland / embryology
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Thyroid Gland / growth & development
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Thyroid Gland / physiopathology