Neonatal screening for congenital hypothyroidism and increase transient TSH, Mazandaran, 2006-2010

Abstract Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is a preventable mental retardation cause that can be diagnosed in early days of infancy and it can be treated on time.CH screening can decrease social-economic burden of the disease. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of permanent CH and increase transient TSH in newborns in Mazandaran. This was a review from official statistical records of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences to control the non-transitional diseases. Screening was performed using heel prick blood collecting in the 3rdto fifth days after birth in 139,111 neonates who were born from June 2006 to June 2010 in Mazandaran. The blood sample was taken on a special filter sheet and TSH >5 mu/L was recalled. TSH>10 and T4<6.5 was diagnosed CH by venous blood sampling and treatment was done.However, in TSH ≥20 treatment began immediately. The data was analyzed using SPSS 16. 139,111 newborns were screened. 71,301(51.2%) were male and 67,810 were (48.3%) female. Also, 8,438(6%) were recalled. Prevalence of permanent CH was 0.45 in 1000 newborns (1/2272) and transient TSH was 0.62 in 1000 newborns (1/1612). Prevalence of CH in Mazandaran is more than most countries. Thus, CH screening is necessary to be continued andsearch for CH high prevalence causes in Mazandaran is needed.