title: [Iodine supply and struma in Austria].
abstract: Austria is an iodine deficient area as are most parts of Europe. Goiters were always a natural phenomenon. In 1924 goiter prevalence in school children was 45 to 47% and a first attempt was made with iodized salt. This iodized salt (5 mg NaI/kg salt) was not used widely and goiter prevalence remained unchanged for decades. Therefore, in 1963, salt iodized with 10 mg KI/kg was introduced by law in a semi-mandatory way: Non-iodized salt was allowed to be sold only by special request. Consequently, in 1982, 68% of the total salt sold was iodized salt, goiter prevalence dropped to 1.5% in first graders, hypothyroidism in newborns was 1:4,600 and cretinism disappeared. However, in 18 years old females, goiter prevalence was still 13%, and in adults up to 30%. Investigations in various regions of Austria showed that iodine supplementation was insufficient with a mean urinary excretion of 42 to 75 micrograms I/g Cr. Therefore the Austrian Society of Nuclear Medicine (ONG) demanded the raise of the iodine content of salt to 20 mg KI/kg. Finally, in 1990 a new law was issued by the Government following this proposal. In 1992, investigations were done in various regions of Austria demonstrating a normalized iodine excretion of 129 to 177 micrograms I/g Cr. Further prospective and retrospective studies will be done by the ONG.
authors: Institut für Nuklearmedizin und Endokrinologie, Landeskrankenanstalten Salzburg.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Galvan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006043:Goiter, Endemic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007455:Iodine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000172:deficiency*; D008297:Male; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary
chemical_list: D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary; C034024:iodized salt; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D007455:Iodine
vernacular_title: Jodversorgung und Struma in Osterreich.