The use of iodine tablets to prevent endemic goiter

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of various methods for monitoring the intake of 100 pg potassium iodide for preventing endemic goiter. The study was carried out in a region with slight and moderate iodine deficit. A total of 104 children aged 10-11 years were examined. Group 1 children were administered 100 \ig of iodine 5 times a week, group 2 had the same dose daily, and group 3 were controls. After 3months the mean concentrations of iodine increased in group 1 from 4.9 ig/liter to normal values (12 ig/liter), in group 2 the content of iodine in the urine increased from 5.3 to 9.9 ig/liter, which means that slight iodine deficiency was still present, and in the controls urinary iodine content increased to 7.8 ig/liter. After 6 months, iodine excretion with the urine was somewhat decreased in all the groups; the most probable cause of this decrease was irregular intake of the drug. Six months after the drug was discontinued, the content of iodine in the urine was below the initial level. The incidence of thyroid enlargement decreased approximately by half in both groups treated with iodine drugs, despite the fluctuations in renal iodine excretion: from 13.8 to 7.1% in group 1 and from 23.3 to 12.5%> in group 2. In the controls the incidence of thyroid enlargement did not change. Thus, we demonstrated a high efficacy of potassium iodide for preventing and treating endemic goiter in regions with slight and moderate iodine deficiency. However, this method requires great accuracy, because irregular intake of the drug deteriorates the results of treatment.