J Korean Soc Pediatr Endocrinol.  2003 Dec;8(2):189-195.

Two Cases of Acquired Hypothyroidism with Severe Obesity, Short Stature and Cardiomegaly

• Kang SY
• Park WS
• Jung MJ
• Lee YS
• Park SG
• Yu J

Abstract

The clinical signs of acquired hypothyroidism are usually manifested insidiously over several months to years. The incidence increases after 6 years of age and peaks at 11 to 18 years of age. The clinical symptoms and signs are fatigue, constipation, decreased growth velocity and delayed bone age, compromised intellectual performance, obesity, myxedema, hyperlipidemia, peripheral neuropathy and delayed or precocious puberty. Two children were referred to our hospital for the evaluation of severe obesity and short stature. During the evaluation we found they also had hyperlipidemia, cardiomegaly with or without pericardial effusion. Thyroid function test revealed decreased serum thyroid hormone levels with positive anti- microsome and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies consistent with long-standing acquired hypothyroidism. After the supplement of L-thyroxine, both of them showed rapid improvement of above symptoms, except for the incomplete catch-up growth. We herein report two cases of acquired hypothyroidism with severe obesity, short stature, hyperlipidemia and cardiomegaly with review of literatures.

Keyword

Acquired hypothyroidism; Obesity; Short stature; Cardiomegaly

MeSH Terms

Antibodies
Cardiomegaly*
Child
Constipation
Fatigue
Humans
Hyperlipidemias
Hypothyroidism*
Incidence
Microsomes
Myxedema
Obesity
Obesity, Morbid*
Pericardial Effusion
Peripheral Nervous System Diseases
Puberty, Precocious
Thyroid Function Tests
Thyroid Gland
Thyroxine
Antibodies
Thyroxine