Partial beneficial effects of the so called “silent iodine prophylaxis” on iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) in Northeastern Sicily endemia

Abstract

The prevalence of goiter among schoolchildren and the daily urinary iodine excretion in the general population were evaluated in 4 municipalities in the endemic goiter area in Northeastern Sicily in two different surveys. The first, carried out in 1977-1978, covered 2,493 (91%) schoolchildren; the second, in 1987-1988, covered 2,167 (92%) schoolchildren. A dramatic decrease in goiter prevalence was apparent in each community as follows: in Castell'Umberto (3,904 inhabitants, altitude 641/750 m above sea level) goiter prevalence (G) decreased from 79.7% to 44.2% with a percent reduction (%r) of 44.5 and an increase in 24-h urinary iodine excretion (UIE) from 22.3 +/- 16.4 micrograms/24 h (n = 30) to 48.7 +/- 43.4 (n = 50). A similar trend was apparent in Tortorici (10,194 inhabitants, 475/700 m) where G decreased from 62.2 to 26.5% (% r 57.4) with a UIE increase from 28.4 +/- 29.6 (n = 35) to 47.6 +/- 59.3 (n = 40); in Sinagra (3,387 inhabitants, 300 m) where G decreased from 61.6 to 32.7% (% r 46.9) and UIE increased from 26.0 +/- 21.1 (n = 25) to 66.6 +/- 69.6 (n = 102) and in Sant'Angelo di Brolo (5,732 inhabitants, 380 m) where G decreased from 48.7 to 27.5% (% r 43.5) and UIE increased from 26.3 +/- 16.7 (n = 30) to 47.7 +/- 73.8 (n = 34). These events are clearly related and certainly dependent on the changed alimentary habits in the area due to the improved distribution of frozen food and industrially prepared dairy products, eventually enriched by iodine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Intelligence Quotient and Iodine Intake: A Cross-Sectional Study in Children

“…The presence and grade of goiter were related to urinary iodine levels. The increased standard of living and nutritional improvements as well as chance contact with iodine-rich chemicals or nutrients favor silent iodine prophylaxis (36). This silent prophylaxis may skew the distribution of urinary iodine levels to the right (30), but it may not be sufficient to maintain adequate iodine intake throughout the child's life.…”

Influence of endemic goitre areas on thyroid hormones in horses

“…However, goitre areas in Sicily still remain a severe problem for humans, although partial beneficial effects of the so called 'silent iodine prophylaxis' on iodine deficiency disorders in Sicily endemia were observed (Vermiglio et al, 1989). These areas do not appear to be of concern for horses, however, indicating that there is very little understanding of the aetiology of this disease.…”

“…Single measurements of T 4 and T 3 are difficult to interpret, particularly because thyroid hormone metabolism or transport can be affected by physiological or pathological states and by a variety of drugs (Breuhaus, 2002) as well as by the influence of circadian rhythm (Duckett et al, 1989;Komosa et al, 1990). Northeastern Sicily is an area with iodine deficiency disorders occurring both in humans and in different domestic animals and partial beneficial effects of the so-called 'silent iodine -E-mail: pietro.medica@unime.it prophylaxis' (an additional percentage of iodine salt gave in water and food) on iodine deficiency disorders have been described (Vermiglio et al, 1989). The aim of this study was to compare the total and free iodothyronine levels of horses stabled in non-endemic and endemic goitre areas, taking into account different gender and age.…”

Short-Term Effectiveness of Low-Dose Radioiodine Ablative Treatment of Thyroid Remnants After Thyroidectomy for Differentiated Thyroid Cancer

“…Removing thyroid remnants after surgery for thyroid cancer by 131I or completion of thyroidectomy or both is usually recommended for at least two reasons: (1) to reduce the risk of local/regional relapses; (2) to permit periodic WBS and measurements of Tg in the complete absence of functioning thyroid tissue (3).…”

“…PATIENTS AND METHODS NECK lymph node dissection is not systematically per-Twenty-five of 132 (18.9%) consecutive patients with formed in association with total thyroidectomy as a differentiated thyroid cancer were examined in our unit first approach for thyroid cancer, even when the diagno-from 1991 to 1997, as outpatients from a marginally iosis is suspected on the basis of cytology or of intraopera-dine-deficient area in northeastern Sicily (2). After thytive histology.…”