Neonatal goiter caused by expectorant usage.

ABSTRACT

A female newborn was admitted with the symptoms of mild respiratory distress, protruding tongue, hypotonicity, cutis marmorata, sclerema, myxedema, abdominal distension, and feeding problems on the first day of life. She had a huge neck mass, a large anterior and posterior fontanel, and hoarse cry. She had no umbilical hernia or jaundice. A history of maternal potassium iodine (expectorant) usage without doctor's advice was obtained; the mother had not attended a clinic throughout the pregnancy. On ultrasonographic examination, the thyroid right lobe was 53 x 31 mm and the left lobe was 34 x 31 mm. The results of thyroid hormone tests on the first day were as follows T3 20 ng/dl (normal 32-216 ng/dl), T4 0.9 microg/dl (11.8-22.6 microg/dl), TSH 120 mIU/l (2.5-13.3 mIU/l). This patient is presented to emphasize the role of hypothyroidism in drug-induced neonatal goiter and to discuss the possibility of a life-threatening effect of congenital goiter, i.e. respiratory tract obstruction.