Abstract:

Background: We aimed to evaluate thyroid functions and subclinical hypothyroidism in obese children. Methods: Fourty three children with exogenous obesity and 17 aged matched idiopathic short stature children (control group) were studied with anthropometric indices and basal thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (fT3), free thyroxine (fT4), total thyroxine (TT4) and total triiodothyronine (TT3)  levels and they all underwent thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) stimulation test to determine TSH response. Results: There were no significant difference in age, bone age, basal TSH, fT3, fT4, TT4 levels between obese and control group. Total triiodothyronine levels of obese group were significantly higher than control group (p=0.009). The maximum increment of TSH levels ( TSH)  and peak TSH levels in obese group were significantly lower than the control group (p=0.021, p=0.04 respectively). We evaluated obese children for TSH response and divided them into two groups; obese group 1 ( TSH response abnormally elevated) and obese group 2 (TSH response were normal), basal TSH levels of group 1 were found significantly higher than group 2 (p<0.001). Conclusion: Thyrotropin releasing hormone stimulation test may be helpful to determine subclinical hypothyroidism in exogen obese children, if basal TSH levels were elevated. Key words: 

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