Increasing prevalence of congenital hypothyroidism in children with down syndrome who have a family history of thyroid disease

The family history of thyroid disease (FHTD), which is either hyper or hypothyroidism, and its effect and the association with other diseases such as autoimmune disease or genetic diseases such as Down syndrome are not well understood, especially in countries in the middle east such as Iraq, which makes studies of this type get some interest recently and the correlation should be understood.

To find out if there is an association between down syndrome and a family history of thyroid disorder.

451 New born babies have been enrolled in the studies. However, 4 of them has been excluded due to inadequate information; the result is about 396 collected in two hospital public (free serves) and privet hospital here in Iraq. The thyroid test and its family history information were collected in 67 new borns with down syndrome with a family history of thyroid dysfunction and the second group of 329 new borns with down syndrome without a family history of thyroid dysfunction, using the SPSS program to study the correlation confidence interval, and other logical analysis were performed in studies.

About sixteen neonates suffered from thyroid percent of about 4.1%, 9-Newborn's with down syndrome in this study had congenital hypothyroidism (4.1%). However, our research shows a correlation between a patient suffering from thyroid dysfunction with Down syndrome (Adjusted odds ratios= 8.3, 95% CI 2.0-34.3), moreover, the result slightly changes in males (Adjusted odds ratios= 9.0, 95% CI: 1.6-49.6). However, all the neonates with down syndrome had a low incidence of thyroid dysfunction if they have no family history of thyroid dysfunction (Adjusted odds ratios= 0.4, 95% CI: 0.1-0.8).

We confirm the association between congenital hypothyroidism and FHTD in babies with DS. Babies with DS with FHTD have an eight-time higher risk of congenital hypothyroidism, particularly those of the male sex.