Thyroid hormone profile in children with goiter in an endemic goiter area

The thyroid hormone profile was investigated in goitrous schoolchildren age d 6-11 years living in Antalya, an area with mild/moderate iodine deficienc y. With few exceptions, the serum levels of T-4 and TSH were in the normal range in children with different grades of goiter. Compensatory elevated T- 3 levels were detected in 24% of the subjects. Thyroid hormones did not dif fer significantly with respect to the urinary iodine (UI) level, No correla tions were found between thyroid volume, UI excretion level and thyroid hor mones. It was concluded that thyroid hormones, except compensatory T-3 elev ation in some subjects, were not affected significantly in a mild/moderate iodine deficient area.