Endemic goitre and plasmatic levels of vitamins A and E in the school-children on the island of Krk, Croatia

A total of 1975 school-children on, the island of Krk aged 7-19 years of li fe were included in this study. The purpose was to establish the goitre sta tus and plasmatic level of vitamins A and E in the examined children with t he enlarged thyroid gland. The goitre prevalence teas 29.8%. The average pl asmatic values of vitamins A and E in the children with enlarged thyroids w ere statistically significantly lower from the reference values. Mentioned goitre prevalence at the level of moderate and heavier endemic goitre speak s on behalf of alimentary iodine deficiency. But the goiter examinations su ggested the idoine deficiency not to be the only etiological factor of goit re on the island of Krk. Lower average plasmatic values of vitamins A and E in the examined with the enlarged thyroids referred to this fact to a cert ain degree.