Neonatal Med.  2014 Nov;21(4):259-263. 10.5385/nm.2014.21.4.259.

A Case of Congenital Hypothyroidism in a Preterm Infant Presenting with Meconium Obstruction

• Kim HR
• Choi JY
• Choi EK
• Shin SH
• Kim EK
• Kim HS
• Choi JH

• KMID: 1802886
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5385/nm.2014.21.4.259

Abstract

Many infants with congenital hypothyroidism have few or no clinical manifestations at birth. In preterm infants, discovering related signs and symptoms of congenital hypothyroidism is even more difficult, despite the higher incidence of transient thyroid function abnormalities. Therefore, these patients need to be closely monitored during the early neonatal period. We report a case of a very low birth weight infant presenting with meconium obstruction concurrent with congenital hypothyroidism in the early neonatal period. Unless diagnosed and treated appropriately, meconium obstruction of prematurity may lead to feeding intolerance, intestinal perforation, necrotizing enterocolitis, and sepsis. It is important for medical caregivers to understand that meconium obstruction can be an early sign of congenital hypothyroidism in preterm infants with abdominal distension.

Keyword

Congenital hypothyroidism; Meconium obstruction of prematurity

MeSH Terms

Caregivers
Congenital Hypothyroidism*
Enterocolitis, Necrotizing
Humans
Incidence
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Premature*
Infant, Very Low Birth Weight
Intestinal Perforation
Meconium*
Parturition
Sepsis
Thyroid Gland