Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32505175›Full record

ArticleBMC pediatrics2020

Subclinical hypothyroidism in childhood, treatment or only follow-up?

Marta Murillo-Vallés, Santiago Martinez, Cristina Aguilar-Riera, Miguel Angel Garcia-Martin, Joan Bel-Comós, Maria Luisa Granada Ybern

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC pediatrics, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
1.0field-weighted citation impact, top 23% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 10 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Trial
  2. Subclinical Hypothyroidism in Children: Natural History, Risk Factors, and OutcomesJournal of clinical research in pediatric endocrinology · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Marta Murillo-VallésEndocrinology Unit. Pediatrics Section, Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Badalona, Spain.
Santiago MartinezEndocrinology Unit. Pediatrics Section, Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Badalona, Spain.
Cristina Aguilar-RieraPediatrics Section, Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Badalona, Spain. c_aguilarriera@hotmail.com.ORCID 0000-0001-5256-3743
Miguel Angel Garcia-MartinClinical Biochemistry Department, Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Badalona, Spain.
Joan Bel-ComósEndocrinology Unit. Pediatrics Section, Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Badalona, Spain.
Maria Luisa Granada YbernClinical Biochemistry Department, Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Badalona, Spain.
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona · ES

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSubclinical hypothyroidism (SH) is defined as serum levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) above the upper limit with normal concentrations of free T4 (fT4). Its management remains challenging. The aim of the study was to evaluate clinical and laboratory findings as well as the clinical course of children with SH followed in a third level hospital. Sixty-five patients aged between 2 and 18 years old were retrospectively studied.

methodsThe patients were followed for a median period of 9 months (range 6 months to 24 months). Those who normalized TSH levels were discharged (Group 1). If TSH persisted mildly elevated (5-10μUI/mL) with normal fT4 and negative TPOAb/TgAb, they were classified as Group 2 and followed semi-annually without treatment. Those patients whose TSH raised ≥10μUI/mL or who maintained TSH 5-10μUI/mL and positive TPOAb/TgAb were considered suitable for thyroxin therapy (Group 3, G3).

resultsIn 89% of our patients, TSH concentrations spontaneously reverted to normality or remained stable without treatment (Groups 1 and 2), whereas less than 11% progressed to clinical hypothyroidism (Group 3). Baseline TSH was significantly lower in group 1 than in group 3. In group 3 the prevalence of female sex (71%) was higher and TPO antibodies were present in 85% of patients. The risk of developing overt hypothyroidism in patients with positive anti-thyroid antibodies respect to those who normalized TSH was 45 (95%CI 6.5-312.5).

conclusionBaseline TSH, female sex and the presence of thyroid autoimmunity were the best predictors of the evolution to SH over time.

Indexed as

HypothyroidismAdolescentChildChild, PreschoolFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansRetrospective StudiesThyroid Function TestsThyrotropinThyroxineThyrotropinThyroxineChildCut-offScreeningSubclinical hypothyroidism

Identifiers

PMID32505175
PMCPMC7275568
OpenAlexW3032997988

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.