Myocardial dysfunction in hypothyroid children
Z. Q. Farooki, W. H. Hoffman, B. L. Perry and E. W. Green
Eleven children with primary hypothyroidism were studied by
echocardiography. Eight patients had pericardial effusion. Systolic time
intervals (preejection period-ejection time ratio and left ventricular
isovolumic contraction time) were suggestive of abnormal myocardial
function. Asymmetric septal hypertrophy without left ventricular out-flow
obstruction (ventricular septal-left ventricular posterior wall diastolic
thickness ratio, greater than 1.3) was present in two hypothyroid children.
After full replacement therapy, these cardiac abnormalities reversed to
normal. Our data suggest that the myopericardial response to hypothyroidism
in children is similar to that seen in adults.
