All issues > Volume 34(1); 1991

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1991;34(1):83-94. Published online January 31, 1991.

A clinical study on goiter in childhood.

Yeong Hee Chung¹, Byung Min Moon¹, Kyoung Sim Kim¹, Ki Bok Kim¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, Kwangju Christian Hospitial, Kwangju, Korea

Received: June 28, 1990;  Accepted: September 4, 1990.

Abstract

A clinical study was done on 96 cases of goiter in children which were diagnosed at pediatric department of Kwangju Christian Hospital during the period form January 1985 to December 1988. The observed clinical data were summarized as follows: 1) Preponderately femalels were affected with the sex ratio of 1:6.7. The majority of cases (78.2%) were around puberty. 2) On physical examination, 59 cases (85.5%) were found to have diffuse goiter, the rest 10 cases (14.5) being of nodular type. The consistencies of goiters were firm in 60 cases (87.0), normal in 8 cases, and cystic in one, and the average size was 5cm x 6cm. 3) The thyroid function tests revealed euthyroidism in 46 cases (66.7%), hyperthyroidism in 14 (20. 3%) and hypothyroidism in 9 (13.0%). 4) Among those with hyperthyroidism, 7 cases (50.0%) had Graves disease, 4 Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and a few cases of adenoma and subacute thyroiditis. Among those with euthyroidis- m, simple goiter was the most common with 28 cases (60.9%), followed by Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (14 cases), adenomatous goiter (3 cases) and thyroglossal duct cyst (1 case). All cases with hypothyroidism were found to have acquired Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. 5) Classified according to etilolgy, autoimmune thyroid diseases were by far the most common with 62 cases (89.9%), followed by neoplasia, dysgenesis and infection. 6) Clinical manifestations were subtle, and more than half of the cases (36 cases) showed no other symptoms and signs except for goiter. 7) Most of the cases (11 cases) with hyperthyroidism were treated with anti-thyroid drugs, propylth- iouracil or methimazole, with satisfactory response. Those with euthyroidism (30 cases) were given no medication. All cases with hypothyroidism were treated with thyroxine.

Keywords :Goiter in childhood