A SURVEY OF ENDEMIC GOITER IN SCHOOL CHILDREN IN KERMANSHAH

In the fall of 1991, the incidence of goiter was determined in I07X male and female school children in Kermanshah city. The study was considered from two view points i.e., clinical examinations and measurements of levels of iodine excreted in urine, and was performed in three age groups: 7-11 years of age, 12-15 years of age and 16-18 years of age. Clinical examination showed 16.5% occurrence of goiter in boys and 21.2'70 occurrence iIi girls of all age groups. The most common type of goiter in boys was la with occurrence of about 14.2% whereas la and Ib were the most common in girls with occurrence of 14.9% and 3.0%, respectively. The results obtained from laboratory studies showed that the levels of iodine in urine of healthy boys was about XlJ.17 ± 4.7 micrograms iodine per gram of creatinine, and in healthy girls 97.9 ± 3.5 micrograms iodine per gram creatinine, which indicates a significant difference in the levels of excreted iodine between the two sexes. The levels of iodine in urine was decreased considerably in children with goiter, lip to 47% in boys and 5R% in girls. The results obtained from this survey indicate that Kermanshah province fits in the moderate-deficiency region of the Hetzel classification for having a maximum of 35% occurrence of goiter. Furthermore, 25 to 50 µg iodine consumption per gram creatinine becomes one of the urgent priorities of the national campaign against iodine deficiency disorders.