Selenium deficiency and hypothyroidism - New etiology in the differential diagnosis of hypothyroidism in children

Three female children presented with different clinical symptoms that could be related to impaired thyroid function. They underwent an accurate pediatric-endocrinologic diagnosis. Laboratory tests revealed no pathological findings, except latent hypothyroidism and selenium deficiency. Hypothyroidism was diagnosed by elevated basal TSH and by a pathological iv-TRH-stimulation test. After treating the children with sodium selenite orally for 4 wk, their metabolism had returned to normal and we saw a marked improvement of all clinical symptoms. For the first time, we have been able to describe hypothyroidism caused exclusively by selenium deficiency, the pathophysiology of which may be expressed as a malfunction of human 5'-deiodinases.