Thyropathy in the children from a south-western area of the Kaluga Region, irradiated in utero and in the first birth weeks after Chernobyl atomic power station accident

Abstract

The cohort study examined the incidence of thyropathy within the first 11-12 years of life among 560 children irradiated in utero and within the first 13 birth weeks via incorporation of iodine-131, who lived in a south-western iodine-deficient area of the Kaluga Region. Incidence rates in the irradiated children were compared with those among 199 non-irradiated children of the same age, who lived in the same region. Among the irradiated children, the incidence of thyropathy was generally 2.3 times higher than that among the non-irradiated ones. It is much higher (by 3.9 times) among 140 children irradiated in utero and partially within the first weeks of life (up to week 13). Thyropathy morbidity was ascertained to be higher in the girls than in the boys. This difference was particularly great among the children irradiated in utero and partially within the first weeks of postnatal life