Goiter Survey and Urinary Iodine Concentration in Schoolchildren Aged 8 to 10 Years of Kurdistan Province in 1996

Iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) is a worldwide health problem. Many parts of the Islamic Republic of Iran had been known as areas of endemic goiter. IDD was accepted as a priority health problem in the country, and a National IDD council was formed in 1989. This study was performed to evaluate the national IDD council program, in rural and urban areas of Kurdistan province in 1996. One thousand four hundred schoolchildren, aged 8 to 10 years including 50% girls and 50% boys, were selected through random sampling. Grading of goiter was performed according to WHO`s classification. Serum T3, T4 and TSH were measured by RIA and uninary iodine by digestion method. The mean of serum T4,T3 and TSH were: 11+ 2.0 μg/dl, 171 +88 ng/dl and 2.0 + 0.8 μIu/ml, respectively. There were no differences between males and females and schoolchildren of rural or urban areas. Fourteen persons had serum T4 more than 12.5 μg/dl. The mean urinary iodine was 28 μg/dl in entire population; 89% had urinary iodine more than 10 μg/dl. Only 4% had urinary iodine less than 5 μg/dl. Total prevalence of gioter was 66% (70% in girls and 63% in boys). Based on the available data, seven years after distribution of iodized salt and 2 years after using iodized salt by more than 50% of pupulation, uninary iodine of schoolchildren of Kurdistan province dose not show iodine deficiency. However gioter is still hyperendemic in Kurdistan province.