title: Thyroid status two decades after salt iodization: country-wide data in school children from India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Country-wide evaluation of thyroid disorders in school children following two decades of universal salt iodization (USI) has not been carried out till date. This study was planned with aim to assess thyroid status of school children two decades after the launch of USI programme.
  
  
  METHODS
  Population survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected data from 25 schools in 19 cities across five different geographical zones of India. Those children who were evaluated for anthropometry, and goitre status by palpation formed 'total population'. Children who consented to give blood samples were defined as 'study population'.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum free T3, free T4, TSH, anti-TPO antibody and thyroid ultrasound.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 38,961 children aged 5-15 years formed total population. Goitre rate was 15.5% while thyroid hypoechogenicity was found in 4404 (11.3%) children. In the study population (13,790 children), 2258 (16.4%) had goitre, 505 (3.7%) had positive anti-TPO antibody titres, 1001 (7.3%) had hypothyroidism (TSH > 5.2 μIU/ml) and 41 (0.3%) had thyrotoxicosis (TSH < 0.1 μIU/ml). Among goitrous children, 203 (9.0%) had anti-TPO positivity, 365 (16.1%) had hypoechogenicity of thyroid and either of these were present in 488 (21.6%) children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Endemic goitre in school children persisted nationwide, despite more than two decades of USI programme. Thyroid autoimmunity only partially explains the increase in goitre prevalence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Thyroid Research Centre, Institute of Nuclear Medicine & Allied Sciences, New Delhi, India. marwaha_ramank@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Raman K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Marwaha
authors.forename: Nikhil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tandon
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Garg
authors.forename: Ankush
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Desai
authors.forename: Ratnesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kanwar
authors.forename: Aparna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sastry
authors.forename: Archna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Narang
authors.forename: Saurav
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arora
authors.forename: Kuntal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bhadra
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006042:Goiter / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D006043:Goiter, Endemic / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007455:Iodine; D008297:Male; D012574:Schools / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary; C034024:iodized salt; D014284:Triiodothyronine; D013972:Thyrotropin; D007455:Iodine; D013974:Thyroxine