Thyroid volumes in schoolchildren of the Emirates

Iodine deficiency is a major public health problem, an enlarged goiter being its most apparent manifestation. Recent studies have used US as an accurate and precise method of measuring thyroid size. The aim of this study was to describe thyroid volumes measured by US among school-aged children in the United Arab Emirates. Cross-sectional studies were performed in 4,381 school children, aged 6-17 yr in three locations in the Emirates. Data were collected on age, sex, weight, thyroid size by palpation and US, and urinary iodine. Age/sex and body surface area (BSA) upper limits of thyroid volume were derived. Median urinary iodine in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and in rural areas of Dubai were 9.9, 12.0 and 9.6 mg/dl respectively. The goiter prevalence by palpation was 28.1%, 26.4% grade 1 and 1.7% grade 2. There was significant difference in median and upper limit of thyroid volumes between boys and girls (p < 0.001). The thyroid volumes of subjects, as assessed by US, progressively increased with age for both sexes (r = 0.53, p < 0.001). In schoolchildren in the Emirates, the best predictors of thyroid volume were BSA, height and weight. The thyroid volumes of the children in this study appear comparable with those reported in a European survey in 1997.