All issues > Volume 31(8); 1988

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1988;31(8):1028-1036. Published online August 31, 1988.

Goiter in Children.

Young Wan Kim¹, Duk Hi Kim¹, Byeung Ju Jeoung¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, Yonsei University, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

Received: January 30, 1988;  Accepted: March 16, 1988.

Abstract

We studied 197 cases of patients with goiter who visited Department of Pediatrics, Yonsei University College of Medicine from January 1980 to June 1987. For each patient, serum T4, free T4, T3, TSH, antithyroid antibody, and antimicrosomal antibody were analyzed, thyroid scan was performed, and radioiodine uptake was measured. Following results were obtained: 1) Male to female ratio of 197 cases of goiter was 1:7.5, predominent in female children, meanwhile in age distribution 100 cases fell into 10 to 12 year old groups, amounting for 50.8%. 2) In functional classification, group of euthyroid state numbered 119 cases(60.4%), whild groups of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism were 52 cases(26.4%) and 26 cases(13.2%) respectively. 3) According to disease entities, in the euthyroid group, 70 cases(58.8%) of chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, 35 cases(29.4%) of simple goiter, 8 cases(6.7%) of follicular adenoma, 3 cases(2.5%) of subacute thyroiditis, 2 cases(1.7%) of acute suppurative thyroiditis, 1 case(0.9%) of papillary adenocarcinoma were included. In the group of hypothyroidism, chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis accounted for 41 cases(78.8%) and dyshormonogenesis 11 cases(21.2%). And in the group of hyperthyroidism, Graves disease were 17 cases (65.4%), chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis 8 cases (30. 8%) and subacute thyroiditis 1 case (3.8%). 4) Etiologically chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis was the most common, amounting to 119 cases. In addition, there were 35 cases(17.8%) of simple goiter, 17 cases(8.7%) of Graves disease. 11 cases(5. 6%) of dyshormonogenesis, 8 cases(4.0%) of follicular adenoma and others such as subacute thyroiditis, aucte suppurative thyroiditis, and papillary adenocarcinoma. 5) In cases of chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, if hypothyroidism had already occured or lowered thyroid function was detected at the time of diagnosis, there was increased possibility that they will result in permanent hypothyroidism.

Keywords :Goiter, Chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis