Objective: To analyse the production of TNF-alpha and NO in euthyroid and hypothyroid newborns.
Patients: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 10 newborns diagnosed with primary congenital hypothyroidism (CH; group A) and 10 euthyroid children (group B).
Results: There were undetectable plasma levels of TNF-alpha and NO in the hypothyroid children, however plasma levels of TNF-alpha (5.5 0.5 pg/ml) and NO (5.6 1.7 microM) were detected at normal levels in all euthyroid children. Moreover, expression of iNOS mRNA in PBMC, determined by RT-PCR, was negative in both groups of infants.
Conclusion: TNF-alpha and NO production are both impaired in hypothyroid newborns. We report for the first time evidence of undetectable levels of TNF-alpha and NO in infants with CH.