title: Epidemiological study of endemic cretinism in a hyperendemic area.
abstract: A cross sectional survey was carried out to detect prevalence of cretinism in two rural areas of Bangladesh (one hyperendemic and the other non-endemic area). The size of the study population was four thousand five hundred and nine, the age ranged from 2 to 45 years. The prevalence of cretinism was 0.6% in the hyperendemic area, while there were no case of cretinism in the non-endemic zone. Of the 27 cretins, 18 (67%) were of the neurological type and 9 (33%) of mixed type. Males were more likely to be affected than females (p < 0.05). Cretinism was more prevalent in the 2-9 years age group. The hyperendemic area was deficient of iodine in food and the cretins were underweight. These observations call for a need for coordinated public health actions to control this serious problem.
authors.affiliation: National Centre for control of Rheumatic Fever and Heart Diseases, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka.
authors.forename: M Q
authors.initials: MQ
authors.lastname: Jalil
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Mia
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ali
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D001459:Bangladesh / Q000453:epidemiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003409:Congenital Hypothyroidism / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019353:Endemic Diseases / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006043:Goiter, Endemic / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012423:Rural Health; D017678:Sex Distribution