[Growth and bone maturity during congenital hypothyroidism screened in the neonatal period. Apropos of 82 cases]. / Etude de la croissance et de la maturation osseuse au cours de l'hypothyroïdie congénitale dépistée en période néonatale. A propos de 82 observations.

Systematic neonatal screening of congenital hypothyroidism (CH) allowed to detect 82 children (62 girls and 20 boys) including 73% with ectopic thyroid, 18% with athyreosis and 9% with eutopic thyroid. They were followed for 1 to 7 years according to the same protocol. Skeletal maturity was studied according to 2 methods: TW2 and Sempé's numerical. Height growth was compared to the standards for French children. T4 values were normal at all ages, TSH values were slightly higher than standard. Concerning the skeletal maturity the delay observed in boys lessened from age 6 years (TW2 method: less than 25th percentile until 3 years, = 25th from 3 to 5 years, between P25 and P50 by 7 years of age). This delay was less important in children who, at the time of diagnosis (day 15) had an epiphyseal surface greater than or equal to 5 mm2. In girls, it was always above the 25th percentile. The expression of the delay was greater with Sempé's method than with the TW2 method. Thus, early substitutive treatment of CH allows a normal height growth. The skeletal maturity is somewhat abnormal in boys. This could be explained by the high percentage (66.6%) of boys with a small epiphyseal surface during the neonatal period and by a slight under-treatment.