Study on the evolution of endemic goiter in Romania

In population studies on children carried out in 1978-1979 as well as in 1986 we reported the persistence of endemic goiter. This made us extend our study onto other populational categories, namely: a) adults and children from five villages of 500-1500 inhabitants from known endemic areas; goiter was encountered in a high percentage: 41% and 52.5% and prevailed above the age of 50. In children goiter was present in 28-30% but most of it was of the zero degree; b) women aged 18-57 years from urban industrial areas as follows: 1720 from Bucharest, situated in the plain, 280 from Rm-Vîlcea, and 560 from Ploieşti, the latter two being sub-Carpathian areas. Goiter was present in 35.7% and 29.89%, respectively, mostly of the 1st and 2nd degree; nodular goiter was in 3.89% and 12.90%, respectively. Thyroid function was also tested by RIA of T3, T4 and TSH, in the blood collected from 150-200 subjects from each group. The values were within normal limits. However, in one of the endemic areas T3 RNA in children was significantly high. Urinary iodine assay (24 hrs creatinine) was tested in 50 of the women living and working in an industrial urban area situated in the plain. The values were around 50 mg/24 hours or less, in 75% of the cases.