title: Urinary iodine and thyroid volume in a Swedish population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the present efficacy of an iodine supplementation programme working in Sweden since 1936 by studying the iodine excretion in urine and determining the thyroid volume in a population in a semi-rural community.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional population screening comprising three age groups with randomly selected individuals: group 1 (children): 7-9 years, n = 61 (invited 70); group 2 (teenagers): 15-17 years, n = 61 (invited 63), and group 3 (adults): 60-65 years; n = 57 (invited 73).
  
  
  METHODS
  Urinary iodine was measured spectrophotometrically; thyroid volume by ultrasonography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median values for urinary iodine concentration in the three age groups were 194 microg L(-1), 246 microg L(-1) and 190 microg L(-1), respectively, indicating an adequate iodine intake. In the 7-9 year olds, the median value of the thyroid volume was 4.7 mL, which coincides with the recently established upper limit of normal children of that age, 4.0-4.8 mL (ICCIDD, International Council for control iodine deficiency disorders). One eight-year-old boy had a pronounced goiter. Four teenagers and one adult were found to have an enlarged thyroid gland according to earlier established reference volumes (15 years >16 mL; adults > 25 mL).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that the iodine intake in our region is sufficient in age groups ranging from young children to pre-retirement adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Health Care, Mölnlycke Primary Health Care and Research Centre, Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Milakovic
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Berg
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nyström
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lindstedt
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gebre-Medhin
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eggertsen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000652:urine; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006042:Goiter / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D007455:Iodine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000652:urine*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012423:Rural Health; D013548:Sweden; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D007455:Iodine