Assessment of urine iodine in school children from urban and rural areas of Tehran in 2001
Roudsari, H.R.S.; Kazemzadeh, R.S.; Sendi, H.; Rezaeie, R.; Derakhshan, M.; Zonoobian, V.; Hoseini, N.
Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences 20(2): 131-136
2004
ISSN/ISBN: 1682-024X Document Number: 262700
Introduction: Following the national survey for Iodine Deficiency Disorder (IDD) in 1989 which manifested endemic goitre in Iran, the iodination programme was implemented. By 1998, Iran has managed to become an IDD-free country. This study is a part of continuous assessment to monitor the effectiveness of this programme. Methods: The prevalence of iodine deficiency was studied by assessment of urine iodine concentration among a random sample of school children, in the South Tehran. The extent of salt iodination in the public was assessed. Results: Most cases (52.19%) showed a urine iodine concentration of 10-30 micro g/dl. 5.85% of pupils had mild iodine deficiency, 1.45% of pupils showed moderate iodine deficiency, and none had severe IDD. Examination of consumed salt in public areas showed 98.8% iodination. Conclusion: Total mean iodine excretion was obviously above levels found during the state survey in 1996. The risk of exceeding the allowed limits (<30 micro g/dl) should be attentively studied.