OBJECTIVE: To report a case of postnatal, postoperative amiodarone-induced hypothyroidism in an infant with a congenital heart defect. DESIGN: Case report and literature review. SETTING: Pediatric intensive care unit at a freestanding tertiary care children's hospital. PATIENT: At 7 wks of age, a female infant with a congenital heart defect was confirmed to have profound hypothyroidism after amiodarone administration for a postoperative cardiac arrhythmia. INTERVENTIONS: Levothyroxine treatment. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Thyroid function tests were regularly performed to guide levothyroxine dosing. Thyroid hormone replacement was discontinued after the infant had been off amiodarone for 6 mos. CONCLUSIONS: Given the potential adverse developmental consequences associated with hypothyroidism during infancy and early childhood, thyroid function tests should be carefully monitored in any infant treated with amiodarone.
OBJECTIVE: To report a case of postnatal, postoperative amiodarone-induced hypothyroidism in an infant with a congenital heart defect. DESIGN: Case report and literature review. SETTING: Pediatric intensive care unit at a freestanding tertiary care children's hospital. PATIENT: At 7 wks of age, a female infant with a congenital heart defect was confirmed to have profound hypothyroidism after amiodarone administration for a postoperative cardiac arrhythmia. INTERVENTIONS:Levothyroxine treatment. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Thyroid function tests were regularly performed to guide levothyroxine dosing. Thyroid hormone replacement was discontinued after the infant had been off amiodarone for 6 mos. CONCLUSIONS: Given the potential adverse developmental consequences associated with hypothyroidism during infancy and early childhood, thyroid function tests should be carefully monitored in any infant treated with amiodarone.