Iodine status and thyroid nodules in females: a comparison of Cyprus and Romania.
OBJECTIVE
The increased comparative prevalence rates of thyroid cancer in Cyprus (>EU average) led us to conduct this study on possible risk factors of thyroid nodules. Romania served as a reference with a comparative thyroid cancer prevalence < EU average. This study aimed to assess the association between urinary iodine (UI) and thyroid nodules in adult females (n = 208) from Cyprus and Romania.


METHODS
A case-control study (n = 208).


METHODS
Cases were females with ultrasound-confirmed thyroid nodules and controls with confirmed absence of nodules. In both countries, subjects underwent ultrasound medical examinations, completed a questionnaire and offered a spot urine sample.


RESULTS
Median UI level in Cyprus was 94 μg/L, whereas 32% of the Cypriot UI was < 50 μg/L, classifying the population as mildly iodine deficient. In Romania, both cases and controls were iodine sufficient. No significant differences (P > 0.05) in serum free thyroxin (fT4) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were found between cases and controls. Cases had lower median TSH levels compared with controls (1.4 mIU/L and 1.7 mIU/L, P = 0.060), but serum TSH and free thyroxin levels were within normal range. Albeit non-significant, participants with inadequate UI (<100 μg/L) had increased risk for thyroid nodules (odds ratio = 1.40, 95% confidence interval = 0.70, 2.81, P = 0.346), using multiple logistic regression after adjusting for age, body mass index, education, country and serum TSH.


CONCLUSIONS
This was the first study to quantify UI levels in Cyprus. While the Romanian iodine fortification programme reflected onto its UI levels, a representative assessment of iodine status in Cyprus will address the necessity of an iodine fortification programme.
Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus.
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Gaengler
Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus.
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Andrianou
Medical Oncology Department, Prof. Dr. Ion Chiricuta Institute of Oncology, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
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Piciu
Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus.
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Charisiadis
Endocrinology Department, Archbishop Makarios III Hospital, Nicosia, Cyprus.
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Zira
Radiology Department, Archbishop Makarios III Hospital, Nicosia, Cyprus.
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Aristidou
Medical Oncology Department, Prof. Dr. Ion Chiricuta Institute of Oncology, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Nuclear Medicine Department, Prof. Dr. Ion Chiricuta Institute of Oncology, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
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Piciu
Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus. Electronic address: konstantinos.makris@cut.ac.cy.
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Makris
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003535:Cyprus / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007455:Iodine / Q000652:urine*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012307:Risk Factors; D012383:Romania / Q000453:epidemiology; D016606:Thyroid Nodule / Q000453:epidemiology*
D007455:Iodine
Cancer; Iodine; Nodules; Thyroid; Thyroid hormones