[Echographic evaluation of the thyroid gland and urinary iodine concentration in school children from various regions of the State of São Paulo, Brazil].
We have examined, by ultrasonographic studies, the thyroid gland of 844 schoolchildren, aged between 6 and 14 years old (423 girls, 421 boys). There was a progressive increase of the thyroid volume with aging with a positive and significant correlation with the body surface area. The presence of enlarged thyroid gland was rarely seen, being present in only 1.6% of the studied cohort. A few thyroid gland abnormalities were noticed such as hemiagenesia (4 children), nodules and cysts and hypoechogenicity (total: 1.4% of all subjects examined). It was clearly demonstrated that the urinary excretion of iodine was elevated being above 300 microg Iodine/L in 53% of the schoolchildren examined. Assays for the iodine concentration in the domestic salt samples revealed values between 28.1 and 63.3 mgI/kg of salt. We concluded that the schoolchildren population of the State of São Paulo may be under an excessive daily ingestion of iodine. This may induce, if extrapolated to the general population, subclinical hyperthyroidism in the elderly and possibly an increment in the prevalence of chronic autoimmune thyroiditis.
Duarte
Glaucia C
GC
Unidade de Tireóide, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP.
Tomimori
Eduardo K
EK
Boriolli
Rosângela A
RA
Ferreira
Jerenice E
JE
Catarino
Regina M
RM
Camargo
Rosalinda Y A
RY
Medeiros-Neto
Geraldo
G
D000293:Adolescent; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007455:Iodine / Q000032:analysis / Q000652:urine*; D008297:Male; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000737:chemistry; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography
D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D007455:Iodine