DISORDERS RELATED TO IODINE DEFICIENCY IN THE REGION OF MURCIA, SPAIN

Hypothesis. To know goiter prevalence, iodine excretion and disorders associated to iodine deficiency in the region of Murcia, with the aim to define the need for establishing iodine prophylaxis programs. Metho d. Transversal study on 1956 pupils of the region of Murcia, with an a ge between four and seventeen years old, stratified by sex, age and ar ea of origin, evaluating thyroid size, grade, weight, height, school p erformance and problems, menarche age, fish and iodine salt intake and iodine excretion. Results. Global prevalence of goiter was 29%, we fo und a mean ioduria of 93.92+/-56.83 mug/l. Anthropometric mean values for each age group did not differ between pupils affected by the lack of iodine and the others. A lower school performance was found in pupi ls with iodine deficit. Fish intake did not play a role in goiter prev alence. Conclusions. Murcia is an area affected by disorders derived f rom mild iodine deficiency, which implies the need to establish a cont inuous plan of effective prophylaxis with iodine salt.