CTF Summary Table: Congenital Hypothyroidism

Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care

Summary Table of Recommendations

Screening for Congenital Hypothyroidism

Prepared by Marie-Dominique Beaulieu, MD, MSc, FCFP, Department of Family Medicine, University of Montreal

These recommendations were finalized by the Task Force in January 1994

MANEUVER EFFECTIVENESS LEVEL OF EVIDENCE <REF> RECOMMENDATION

Measurement of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level in dried capillary blood sample in first week of life; measurement of thyroxin (T4) level if necessary. Routine screening programs are effective in detecting preclinical hypothyroidism; ealry treatment radically modifies the mental development of affected infants. Dramatic outcome improvements in prospective cohort studies <2-9> (II-2) Good evidence to ensure routine TSH testing among all* neonates. (A)

* Infant delivered at home or leaving the nursery within 48 hours may escape screening and must be reached otherwise.

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MANEUVER	EFFECTIVENESS	LEVEL OF EVIDENCE <REF>	RECOMMENDATION
Measurement of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level in dried capillary blood sample in first week of life; measurement of thyroxin (T4) level if necessary.	Routine screening programs are effective in detecting preclinical hypothyroidism; ealry treatment radically modifies the mental development of affected infants.	Dramatic outcome improvements in prospective cohort studies <2-9> (II-2)	Good evidence to ensure routine TSH testing among all* neonates. (A)