A Comparison of Postnatal Factors between Infants with a Delayed TSH Rise on the Newborn Screen and those with a Timely Diagnosis of Congenital Hypothyroidism

The authors aimed to identify postnatal factors that increase the risk of a delayed thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) rise in infants diagnosed with congenital hypothyroidism (CH) in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Their findings indicate that infants with a delayed TSH rise experienced higher rates of medication exposure, invasive procedures, and complications across multiple organ systems compared to those diagnosed timely, suggesting that the causes of delayed TSH rise are multifactorial and highlighting the need for improved screening practices in the NICU.