Abstract
We evaluated goiter status and urinary iodine excretion (UIC) of 304 school-children (7-12 years old) 3 years after a law was passed for mandatory production of iodinated salt in an area previously characterized by severe iodine deficiency in Zonguldak, a mountainous city in the West Black Sea region in Turkey. We examined all the children for goiter by palpation, measured sonographic thyroid volumes (STV) and UIC. Eighty-two percent of families had been using iodinated salt. UIC was above 100 μg/l in 71.2% of the children and median UIC was sufficient (143.5 μg/l). The prevalence of goiter was lower at ultrasound (14.6%) than by palpation (19.4%). Median STV values were within recommended normal limits at all ages. Although Zonguldak had been a highly endemic region, it became mildly endemic 3 years after mandatory iodination of salt, with decrease of goiter prevalence.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 73-76 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism |
Volume | 17 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 1 2004 |
Keywords
- Endemic goiter
- Iodinated salt
- Iodine deficiency
- Thyroid volume
- Turkey
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
- Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
- Endocrinology