Endemic goiter no longer exists in the community of Modum
Frey, H.; Tangen, T.; Løvik, J.; Thorsen, R.K.; Sand, T.; Rosenlund, B.; Kornstad, L.
Tidsskrift for den Norske Laegeforening Tidsskrift for Praktisk Medicin Ny Raekke 101(22): 1184-1186
1981
ISSN/ISBN: 0029-2001 PMID: 7281144 Document Number: 177916
A Norwegian community, where before the last war endemic goiter and iodine deficiency were common, was reexamined in 1977. All schoolchildren of the ages between 7 and 15 yr, 1418 altogether, were examined clinically. Slight increase in the size and/or consistency of the gland was present in 1.5%. All these children had normal thyroid function. The excretion of iodine in the urine was considerably in excess of what is found in iodine deficiency, whether or not the children had a slightly enlarged thyroid gland. Endemic goiter no longer exists in this community and apparently the iodine intake is satisfactory.