The study of thyroid diseases in a community not using iodized salt.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the prevalence of thyroid diseases in a community which did not use iodized salt.


METHODS
The survey was conducted in Panshan, Liaoning Province. 1 103 inhabitants aged 14 years or more attended the examinations, which included questionnaire, physical examination and serum analysis. Iodine in the urine and thyroid B ultrasound examination were also conducted.


RESULTS
The prevalence of overt hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism was 16.3 per thousand and 2.7 per thousand, respectively. Subclinical hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism were detected in 37.2 per thousand and 9.1 per thousand of the subjects, respectively. Serum autoantibodies to thyroid were detected in 10.9% of the entire population. The prevalence of goiter was 20.7% (diffuse goiter 16.8% and nodular goiter 3.9%).


CONCLUSIONS
In the iodine deficient areas, perhaps autoimmununization is not only related to the development of goiter but is also the main cause of subclinical hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism.
Teng
Xiaochun
X
Endocrinology Department, The First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China.
Hu
Fengnan
F
Teng
Weiping
W
Wang
Haixue
H
Shong
Shaoquan
S
Shan
Zhongyan
Z
Jin
Ying
Y
Guan
Haixia
H
Yang
Fan
F
Gao
Tianshu
T
Wang
Weibo
W
Shi
Xiaoguang
X
Teng
Di
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006042:Goiter / Q000453:epidemiology; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006980:Hyperthyroidism / Q000453:epidemiology; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000453:epidemiology; D007455:Iodine / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000453:epidemiology
D001323:Autoantibodies; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary; C034024:iodized salt; D007455:Iodine