In a previous communication1 preliminary data were presented which showed that the level of serum phosphatase of children with untreated hypothyroidism tended to be abnormally low and that it was restored to normal by thyroid therapy. Only four other reports on measurements of the serum phosphatase of children with hypothyroidism have been found in the literature.2 In the present communication are reported observations which show that the phosphatase determination is of clinical value as an aid in the diagnosis of hypothyroidism during infancy and childhood.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
A total of 30 infants and children with hypothyroidism have been studied. The level of phosphatase in the serum was determined for 12 patients before thyroid was given and for 28 patients after thyroid therapy. The values for serum phosphatase for the latter group represent the averages of the measurements obtained during periods when the clinical response to therapy appeared