Clinical and Laboratory Findings in Children with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis

Background: Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is the most common cause of goiter and acquired hypothyroidism in children after iodine deficiency. In this study, clinical and laboratory findings and follow-up results of children diagnosed with HT are presented. Methods: The data of cases diagnosed with HT between 2004 and 2022 in 2 centers in Erzurum were evaluated retrospectively. Results: Of the 81 children with HT whose ages ranged from 3 to 18 years (11.24 +/- 3.72), 67 (82.7%) were girls and 14 (17.3%) were boys. The most common symptoms were neck swelling (37%), fatigue (23.5%), and hair loss (23.5%). There was a family history of HT in 12 cases (9.9%). Fifty-one (63%) of the cases were in the pubertal period and 30 (37%) were in the prepubertal period. There was no goiter in 36 (44.4%) of the patients, second degree goiter in 24 (29.6%), first degree goiter in 14 (17.3%), and third degree goiter in 7 (8.7%). Twenty-two (27.2%) of the cases were euthyroid, 27 (33.3%) were subclinical hypothyroidism, 23 (28.4%) were hypothyroidism, and 9 (11.1%) were hyperthyroidism. While 18 (22.2%) of the cases were followed up without medication, 59 (72.8%) were given levothyroxine and 4 (5%) were given methimazole. The mean follow-up time was 32.1 +/- 33.7 months. Conclusion: The study's findings suggest that HT is more common in girls and occurs more frequently after puberty. A personal or family history of an autoimmune disease may be a warning sign for HT. Additionally, HT should be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of children presenting with complaints of neck swelling, fatigue, and hair loss.