HYPOTHYROIDISM IN ADOLESCENCE: WHAT DOES SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE SAY?

Abstract

Hypothyroidism is defined as a clinical condition resulting from an insufficient amount of circulating hormones in the thyroid gland to support normal organ function. Among the causes of hypothyroidism, the most prevalent form is primary thyroid disease, but hypothyroidism can also occur due to hypothalamic or pituitary disease, which is called central hypothyroidism. Thyroid hormones affect functions in almost all organs or tissues, and their deficiency produces a wide range of metabolic disorders. As obesity has been found more and more frequently in the pediatric population, the inappropriate practice of requesting thyroid tests as a procedure for routine for the evaluation of obese patients can determine a significant increase in the costs of the public health system and overload of specialized care services. The present study is an integrative review (IR) based on different topics. Data analysis was carried out through the observation, in the researched material on the research topic. The information will be divided according to the objectives of this research and distributed as answers according to the sequence of subjects. In this literature review, it was found that hypothyroidism in adolescence becomes increasingly prevalent, negatively impacting the growth and development of adolescents. It was observed that many adolescents can manifest different symptoms, such as: fatigue, school difficulties, constipation, dehydrated skin and hair, alopecia, brittle nails, cold intolerance and decreased appetite, among others, making early diagnosis necessary. and adequate treatment, as well as timely treatment, in order to prevent possible metabolic complications.