COMPARISON OF EPIDEMIOLOGIC DATA ON CONGENITAL HYPOTHYROIDISM IN EUROPE WITH THOSE OF OTHER PARTS IN THE WORLD

The actual worldwide incidence of congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is ba sed on the results of screening in parts of the world where screening is mandatory, i.e. most of Europe, USA, Canada, Cuba, Australia, New Z ealand and Japan. In other parts of the world, some indications are gi ven by the results of pilot studies. In Europe, mean overall incidence (1985-1990) for the countries included in our inquiry is 1/3801 - in each country for the same period: Austria 1/3,930, Belgium 1/3,750, Cz echoslovakia 1/6,037, Denmark 1/3,777, Finland 1/3,969, France 1/4,132 , FRG 1/3,827, Greece 1/3,314, Hungary 1/5,632, Israel 1/3,152, Italy 1/3,150, The Netherlands 1/3,723, Norway 1/3,069, Portugal 1/3,139, Sp ain 1/3,216, Switzerland 1/3,913, UK 1/3,398 and Turkey (pilot study 1 989-1992) 1/2,943. In comparison, the figures for the USA for the whol e country are similar for the mean overall incidence (1988-1990): 1/4, 119. But large variations exist between the states, the reasons of whi ch are perhaps related either to technical problems or to the ethnic b ackground in each state. In Canada and Japan, modifications of screeni ng procedures have led to similar figures for the last years in our po ssess, Canada (1986-1988) 1/3,884 and Japan (1990) 1/3,856. The figure s (mean overall incidence) for Cuba (1987-1991) 1/2,325, for Australia (1985-1990) 1/1/3,331 and for New Zealand (1987-1990) 1/4,496 are qui te comparable. So in these countries where the screening is establishe d, no great variations are noted as in certain parts of the world with pilot studies: Argentine (Buenos Aires; 1985-1990) 1/4,407, Chile (19 91-1992) 1/2,514, Brazil (Porto Alegre; 1987-1991) 1/4,429. In Mexico (1990-1991), it is 1/1,480; however, the overall incidence is higher, in the two pilot studies carried out in Ecuador. On the other hand, a pilot study carried out in Sao Paulo (1982-1991) on 1,794,051 tests is 1/14,352; the low incidence should be related to the ethnic backgroun d or/and techniques of screening.