A type of central congenital hypothyroidism, a permanent thyroid deficiency that is present from birth, characterized by low levels of thyroid hormones due to a deficiency in TSH synthesis.

Approximately 10% of patients with congenital hypothyroidism harbor inborn errors of metabolism in one of the steps for thyroid hormone synthesis in thyrocytes (Vono-Toniolo et al., 2005). The most prevalent cause of thyroid dyshormonogenesis is TPO deficiency (Park and Chatterjee, 2005). Defects in TPO cause a severe form of congenital hypothyroidism characterized by a complete and immediate release of accumulated radioiodide from the thyroid after sodium perchlorate administration (Bakker et al., 2000). This release of radioiodide represents total iodine organification defect (TIOD), a disruption of the process by which iodide present in the thyroid is oxidized by hydrogen peroxide and bound to tyrosine residues in thyroglobulin (TG; 188450) to form iodotyrosine.

Neonatal diabetes mellitus with congenital hypothyroidism (NDH) syndrome is characterized by intrauterine growth retardation and onset of nonimmune diabetes mellitus within the first few weeks of life. Other features include renal parenchymal disease, primarily renal cystic dysplasia, and hepatic disease, with hepatitis in some patients and hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis in others. Facial dysmorphism, when present, consistently involves low-set ears, epicanthal folds, flat nasal bridge, long philtrum, and thin upper lip. Most patients exhibit developmental delay (Dimitri et al., 2015).

Congenital hypothyroidism can also occur as part of syndromes that affect other organs and tissues in the body. These forms of the condition are described as syndromic. Some common forms of syndromic hypothyroidism include Pendred syndrome, Bamforth-Lazarus syndrome, and brain-lung-thyroid syndrome.\n\nSigns and symptoms of congenital hypothyroidism result from the shortage of thyroid hormones. Affected babies may show no features of the condition, although some babies with congenital hypothyroidism are less active and sleep more than normal. They may have difficulty feeding and experience constipation. If untreated, congenital hypothyroidism can lead to intellectual disability and slow growth. In the United States and many other countries, all hospitals test newborns for congenital hypothyroidism. If treatment begins in the first two weeks after birth, infants usually develop normally.\n\nCongenital hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland fails to develop or function properly. In 80 to 85 percent of cases, the thyroid gland is absent, severely reduced in size (hypoplastic), or abnormally located. These cases are classified as thyroid dysgenesis. In the remainder of cases, a normal-sized or enlarged thyroid gland (goiter) is present, but production of thyroid hormones is decreased or absent. Most of these cases occur when one of several steps in the hormone synthesis process is impaired; these cases are classified as thyroid dyshormonogenesis. Less commonly, reduction or absence of thyroid hormone production is caused by impaired stimulation of the production process (which is normally done by a structure at the base of the brain called the pituitary gland), even though the process itself is unimpaired. These cases are classified as central (or pituitary) hypothyroidism.\n\nCongenital hypothyroidism is a partial or complete loss of function of the thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) that affects infants from birth (congenital). The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped tissue in the lower neck. It makes iodine-containing hormones that play an important role in regulating growth, brain development, and the rate of chemical reactions in the body (metabolism). People with congenital hypothyroidism have lower-than-normal levels of these important hormones.

CDGs, previously called carbohydrate-deficient glycoprotein syndromes, grew from hereditary multisystem disorders first recognized by Jaeken et al. (1980). The characteristic biochemical abnormality of CDGs is the hypoglycosylation of glycoproteins, which is routinely determined by isoelectric focusing of serum transferrin. Type I CDG comprises those disorders in which there is a defect in the assembly of lipid-linked oligosaccharides or their transfer onto nascent glycoproteins, whereas type II CDG comprises defects of trimming, elongation, and processing of protein-bound glycans. For a general discussion of CDGs, see CDG1A (212065). CDG1H is a severe form of CDG. The majority of patients have brain involvement, liver pathology, gastrointestinal symptoms, dysmorphism (including brachydactyly), eye involvement (especially cataract), and skin symptoms. Most patients die within the first year of life (summary by Marques-da-Silva et al., 2017).

Nongoitrous congenital hypothyroidism-7 (CHNG7) is characterized by normal-to-low T4 and normal-to-high thyrotropin (TSH; see 188540) levels, with reduced or absent pituitary responsiveness to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH; 613879). Patients may exhibit short stature, growth retardation, and delayed bone age, as well as lethargy or fatigue (Collu et al., 1997; Bonomi et al., 2009). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of congenital nongoitrous hypothyroidism, see 275200.