| Gruning et al., Dresden, Germany, undertook a prospective cross-sectional study of goiter prevalence in 1996, in a selected population (craftsmen and -women), covering the whole of Saxony. As many as 1.141 adults were investigated with the following results, men/women: age 37.2/37.9 years, thyroid volume 24.7/17.5 ml, goiter prevalence 36.0/32.9%, prevalence of thyroid nodules 21.1/23.0%, prevalence of thyroid cysts 3.9/4.5%, urinary iodine excretion per nmol creatinine 84.4/104 nmol (97.1/117µg/gr. creatinine). The authors conclude that despite abolition of mandatory table salt iodization, the situation with regard to iodine deficiency is still improving, comparing previous data, but has not yet disappeared. Nohr et al., Aalborg, Denmark, studied the impact of iodine supplementation on maternal and neonatal thyroid function. In total 144 women at term and 139 neonates were investigated. About 1/3 of pregnant women took 150 µg iodine supplementation during pregnancy, whereas 2/3 did not. The following results were obtained. In iodine plus mothers TSH was 7.6% lower than in iodine minus mothers (p < 0.05). In cord blood however TSH was 27.3% higher in the iodine plus group (p < 0.05). Free T4 was higher both in mothers and in cord blood in iodine plus group (p < 0.05). No differences were seen with regard to T3. Thyroglobulin was much lower in both mother and cord blood in the iodine plus group (p < 0.0001). The authors conclude that iodine supplementation during pregnancy in an area with mild iodine deficiency induces an opposite variation in thyroid function in mother and in fetus. The increase in thyroid function (low TSH) in iodine plus mothers could be due to amelioration of relative iodine deficiency or to iodine induced thyroid hormone production in autonomous nodules. The fall in thyroid function (higher TSH) i |
