Effect of Iodine Intake on Thyroid Diseases in China

• Published in: The New England journal of medicine Vol. 354; no. 26; pp. 2783 - 2793
• Main Authors: Teng, Weiping, Teng, Xiaochun, Teng, Di, Shan, Zhongyan, Guan, Haixia, Li, Yushu, Li, Chenyang, Li, Jia, Jin, Ying, Yu, Yang, Yu, Xiaohui, Fan, Chenling, Chong, Wei, Yang, Fan, Yang, Rong, Dai, Hong, Chen, Yanyan, Zhao, Dong, Shi, Xiaoguang, Hu, Fengnan, Mao, Jinyuan, Gu, Xiaolan, Tong, Yajie, Wang, Weibo, Gao, Tianshu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston, MA Massachusetts Medical Society 29.06.2006
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Autoantibodies - blood; Biological and medical sciences; China - epidemiology; Diet; Endocrinopathies; Female; Follow-Up Studies; General aspects; Humans; Hypothyroidism; Hypothyroidism - chemically induced; Hypothyroidism - epidemiology; Incidence; Iodine - administration & dosage; Iodine - adverse effects; Iodine - urine; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Non tumoral diseases. Target tissue resistance. Benign neoplasms; Surveys and Questionnaires; Thyroid diseases; Thyroid Diseases - epidemiology; Thyroid Diseases - prevention & control; Thyroid gland; Thyroid Gland - diagnostic imaging; Thyroid Hormones - blood; Thyroid Hormones - immunology; Thyroid. Thyroid axis (diseases); Thyroiditis, Autoimmune - chemically induced; Thyroiditis, Autoimmune - epidemiology; Ultrasonography; Asia; China; Endocrinopathy; Medicine; Nutrition; Diet; Thyroid diseases; Iodine
• ISSN: 0028-4793; 1533-4406; 1533-4406
• DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa054022

Low or high iodine intake may lead to thyroid dysfunction. In this study, the prevalences of overt and subclinical hypothyroidism and autoimmune thyroiditis were increased with increasing iodine intake in regions of China with iodine intake that was mildly deficient (median urinary iodine excretion, 84 μg per liter), more than adequate (median, 243 μg per liter), and excessive (median, 651 μg per liter). The prevalences of overt and subclinical hypothyroidism and autoimmune thyroiditis were increased with increasing iodine intake in regions of China with iodine intake that was mildly deficient, more than adequate, and excessive. Salt has been iodized throughout China since 1996, and as a result, iodine intake has increased countrywide. Data from the Ministry of Health of China indicate that the median urinary iodine excretion — a surrogate measure for iodine intake — increased from 165 μg per liter in 1995 to 330 μg per liter in 1997 and stabilized at a similar level (306 μg per liter) in 1999. 1 In fact, according to the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children's Fund, and the International Council for Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders, 2 after iodization measures were instituted, the . . .