An increased prevalence of thyroid disease in children with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome

Abstract

We reviewed the health records of pediatric patients with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2 DS) seen over a 5-year period in our 22q11.2 DS multidisciplinary clinic. We determined the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in this population, in comparison to general population data. Statistical tests were applied to investigate trends in gender differences, thyroid disease subtype and co-morbid conditions in the patients identified with thyroid disease. Of 169 subjects (92 male, 77 female) 9.5% had overt thyroid disease; of these, 1.8% had hyperthyroidism and 7.7% had hypothyroidism; 42% of patients with subclinical or prodromal thyroid disease progressed to overt disease. Our data indicate that thyroid disease prevalence in the 22q11DS pediatric population is significantly higher than that in the general pediatric population Furthermore, over 1/3 of patients in our study population who presented with subclinical thyroid disease progressed to overt disease, requiring medical therapy. Thyroid disease screening should be incorporated into routine medical management of children with 22q11.2 DS. Guidelines for screening individuals with 22q11.2 DS are presented.