Thyroid function, sensitivity to thyroid hormones, and metabolic syndrome in euthyroid children and adolescents with Down syndrome

• Published in: Journal of endocrinological investigation 2023-11, Vol.46 (11), p.2319-2325
• Main Authors: Calcaterra, V., Gazzarri, A., De Silvestri, A., Madia, C., Baldassarre, P., Rossi, V., Garella, V., Zuccotti, G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Blood pressure; Cholesterol; Comorbidity; Down syndrome; Down's syndrome; Endocrinology; Glucose metabolism; High density lipoprotein; Internal Medicine; Lipid metabolism; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metabolic Diseases; Metabolic disorders; Metabolic syndrome; Original Article; Patients; Pediatrics; Thyroid diseases; Thyroid gland; Thyroid hormones; Thyroid-stimulating hormone; Thyroxine; Triiodothyronine
• ISSN: 1720-8386; 0391-4097; 1720-8386
• DOI: 10.1007/s40618-023-02086-4

Purpose Patients with Down Syndrome (DS) showed multiple comorbidities, including thyroid disorders, obesity, and metabolic derangement. Different thyroid hormone (THs) patterns and sensitivity to thyroid hormone indices (STHI) seem to be associated with metabolic disorders. The study’s aim was to evaluate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) in pediatric patients affected by DS, taking into consideration the relationship between the metabolic parameters, THs and STHI. Methods We enlisted 50 euthyroid patients with DS (9.03 ± 4.46). Clinical parameters, TSH, FT3, FT4 and the presence of MS were recorded. Indexes of peripheral sensitivity (FT3/FT4 ratio) and central sensitivity (TSH index, TSHI; TSH T4 resistance index, TT4RI; TSH T3 resistance index, TT3RI) were also detected. Thirty healthy subjects were included as a control group. Results MS was detected in 12% of the subjects with DS. FT3, FT4, and TSH levels were higher in DS than in the control group ( p