Central hypothyroidism - a neglected thyroid disorder

Central hypothyroidism has received much interest in recent years, partly due to the discovery of new causal gene mutations. This is a comprehensive review on several aspects of central hypothyroidism. It discusses prevalence, and its variation between different countries; pitfalls in diagnosis, including assay interference; concurrent systemic illness and usefulness (or not) of TRH test and SHBG measurements; causes of congenital central hypothyroidism, including new genetic causes such as TLBX1 mutations and acquired hypothyroidism, including various forms of radiation, secondary causes, such as response to certain drugs, and various forms of hypophysitis.