Author(s): Nasir A. M. Al Jurayyan, Mahmoud I. El Desouki, Abdulrahman A. Al Nuaim, Omar S. Al At-tas, Nasser Al Dagheri
To examine the possible role of iodine in the aetiology of congenital hypothyroidism, urinary iodine concentration was compared in 23 neonates with congenital hypothyroidism detected by neonatal screening program in Riyadh region (mean cord TSH 403 ±123 mU/L), and their mothers. Twenty-five normal neonates (mean cord TSH 6.74 ± 4.03 mU/L) were randomly selected as control. The mean urine iodine concentration of the congenital hypothyroid group was 21.3 ± 11.2 μg/dl, which was significantly (P<0.05) higher than their mothers with mean of 16.3 ± 7.5 μg/dl, and the control group; mean 14.4 ± 4.6 μg/dl. We conclude that neonates with congenital hypothyroidism have normal iodine concentration, and that iodine does not seem to play a role in the aetiological diagnosis of congenital hypothyroidism.