Screening for Congenital Hypothyroidism: Comparison of Borderline Screening Cut-Off Points and the Effect on the Number of Children Treated with Levothyroxine

Abstract

ment, but 29 (21%) of the children treated would not have been detected by the current UKNSPC guidelines. Transient CH was found in 17/47 (36%) of the treated children detected with a cutoff point >6 mU/l. Raising the cutoff point to >10 mU/l reduced the number of children treated for transient CH to 4/18 (22%). Conclusion: A significant number of children with true and transient CH are missed with a screening cutoff point of >10 mU/l. Our data suggests that a cutoff point of 6 mU/l is appropriate.