A programme of iodine supplementation using only iodised household salt is efficient--the case of Poland.
BACKGROUND
Iodine prophylaxis in Poland started in 1935 and has been interrupted twice: by World War II and in 1980 for economic reasons. Epidemiological surveys carried out after the Chernobyl accident in 1989 as well as in 1992/1993 and in 1994 as a 'ThyroMobil' study, revealed increased prevalence of goitre in children and adults. Ninety per cent of Poland was classified as an area of moderate iodine deficiency, and 10%, in the seaside area, as mild iodine deficiency territory. Iodine prophylaxis based on iodisation of household salt was introduced again in 1986 as a voluntary model and in 1997 as a mandatory model with 30+/-10 mg KI/kg salt.


OBJECTIVE
The evaluation of the obligatory model of iodine prophylaxis in schoolchildren from the same schools in 1994 and 1999.


METHODS
Thyroid volume was determined by ultrasonography. Ioduria in casual morning urine samples was measured using Sandell-Kolthoff's method, within the framework of the ThyroMobil study.


RESULTS
Goitre prevalence decreased from 38.4 to 7% and urinary iodine concentration increased from 60.4 to 96.2 microg/l mean values between 1994 and 1999. In four schools the prevalence of goitre diminished below 5%. In 1999, 70% of children excreted over 60 microg I/l, and 36% over 100 microg I/l, whereas in 1994 the values were 44 and 13% respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The present findings indicate that iodine prophylaxis based only on iodised household salt is highly effective.
Department of Endocrinology, Medical College, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland. szybin@endo.cm-uj.krakow.pl
Z
Z
Szybinski
F
F
Delange
A
A
Lewinski
J
J
Podoba
M
M
Rybakowa
R
R
Wasik
L
L
Szewczyk
B
B
Huszno
F
F
Gołkowski
E
E
Przybylik-Mazurek
M
M
Karbownik
T
T
Zak
J
J
Pantoflinski
M
M
Trofimiuk
I
I
Kinalska
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007455:Iodine / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary; D007455:Iodine