1181 DIAGNOSIS OF HERPES SIMPLEX ENCEPHALITIS
Letters
to
the Editor
THYROID ADMINISTRATION LOWERS MORTALITY IN PREMATURE INFANTS
SIR,-During a survey of the incidence of transient hypothyroidism in critically ill neonates we were surprised to find that 9 of 13 infants (69%) with severe respiratory distress had depressed levels of serum thyroxine and that all of these infants had been born before 37 weeks of gestation and/or weighed less than 2200 g. Of 4 infants in this group who had received thyroid hormone only 1 died whereas 4 of the 5 untreated patients died.’ To rule out a chance effect we have done a prospective study. Every second neonate admitted to our intensive-care unit since January, 1979, and born after less than 37 weeks’ gestation and/or weighing less than 2200 g, received prophylactic doses of 25;’.g L-thyroxine and 5;’.g triiodothyronine daily. 5 of the first 50 patients who should have been treated, inadvertently did not receive the drug and were included in the no-treatment group, which then numbered 55. The two groups were nearly identical in respect of gestational age, birthweight, and Apgar scores.
Of the 45 treated infants 3 (7%) died while in the untreated test). In 16 of group of 55 infants 16 (29%) died (p
Letters
to
the Editor
THYROID ADMINISTRATION LOWERS MORTALITY IN PREMATURE INFANTS
SIR,-During a survey of the incidence of transient hypothyroidism in critically ill neonates we were surprised to find that 9 of 13 infants (69%) with severe respiratory distress had depressed levels of serum thyroxine and that all of these infants had been born before 37 weeks of gestation and/or weighed less than 2200 g. Of 4 infants in this group who had received thyroid hormone only 1 died whereas 4 of the 5 untreated patients died.’ To rule out a chance effect we have done a prospective study. Every second neonate admitted to our intensive-care unit since January, 1979, and born after less than 37 weeks’ gestation and/or weighing less than 2200 g, received prophylactic doses of 25;’.g L-thyroxine and 5;’.g triiodothyronine daily. 5 of the first 50 patients who should have been treated, inadvertently did not receive the drug and were included in the no-treatment group, which then numbered 55. The two groups were nearly identical in respect of gestational age, birthweight, and Apgar scores.
Of the 45 treated infants 3 (7%) died while in the untreated test). In 16 of group of 55 infants 16 (29%) died (p
