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. 2026 Jan;115(1):190-195.
doi: 10.1111/apa.70302. Epub 2025 Sep 12.

Neurodevelopmental Outcomes of Very Low Birth Weight Infants With Transient Hypothyroxinaemia of Prematurity

Sophie S L Yeow  1 , Charis H Y Chung  1 , Wilfred H S Wong  1 , Khair Jalal  1 , Mabel S C Wong  1 , Wing-Shan Queenie See  1
Affiliations

Neurodevelopmental Outcomes of Very Low Birth Weight Infants With Transient Hypothyroxinaemia of Prematurity

Sophie S L Yeow et al. Acta Paediatr. 2026 Jan.

Abstract

Aim: Transient hypothyroxinaemia of prematurity affects very low birth weight (VLBW) infants born prematurely. The relationship between transient hypothyroxinaemia of prematurity (THOP) and adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes is still controversial. The present study aimed to compare the neurodevelopmental outcomes between those with VLBW infants with THOP and those without.

Methods: This was a single tertiary neonatal centre retrospective study comparing the neurodevelopmental outcome using Griffiths Mental Development Scales-Extended Revised between VLBW infants (birth weight less than or equal to 1500 g) with THOP to those without based on one-to-one age and gender matching from 2011 to 2021.

Result: Forty-two VLBW infants with THOP and 42 VLBW infants without THOP were matched by age and gender. None of the infants with THOP received thyroxine supplementation. The prevalence of THOP is 6.86%. The mortality rate for infants with THOP was 14.3%. There was no significant difference in neonatal complications and neurodevelopmental outcomes between infants with THOP (70%) and infants without THOP (70.7%).

Conclusion: We showed that there was no difference in neurodevelopmental outcomes between those with THOP without thyroxine supplementation and those without THOP.

Keywords: neurodevelopmental outcomes; prematurity; transient hypothyroxinaemia of prematurity; very low birth weight infants.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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