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Iodine intake in Ireland — An update

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Summary

A study of urinary iodine excretion and thyroid gland uptake of radioactive iodine131 I was undertaken in the Dublin area with a view to providing data on the current iodine status in Ireland. A mean urinary iodine excretion of 118±82 ug/ gram creatinine (Median 96) obtained from 821 subjects attending general hospital outpatient clinics in the Dublin area in 1987, while excluding severe iodine deficiency in this particular cohort, obscured the fact that 250 (30%) had iodine excretion values<-70 ug/g creatinine, a value approximating to the minimum daily iodine requirement.

Reviewing records of131I uptake in 435 patients with nontoxic goitre obtained in the 1960’s showed that almost half (49%) had values greater than the upper limit of the normal range. The mean uptake of 48±13% observed during 1963–1966 although declining in the 45 nontoxic goitrous patients studied during 1983–1986 remained relatively high at 38±13%

The results provide sufficient evidence of sporadic iodine deficiency to justify a more widespread study of the iodine status of the Irish population with a view to making recommendations on the possible need for iodine prophylaxis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Woodview, University College Dublin and St. Luke’s Hospital, Dublin

    P. P. A. Smyth, A. M. Hetherton, D. O’ Carroll, D. F. Smith, M. J. O’Halloran & D. K. O’Donovan

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  1. P. P. A. Smyth
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  2. A. M. Hetherton
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  3. D. O’ Carroll
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  4. D. F. Smith
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  5. M. J. O’Halloran
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  6. D. K. O’Donovan
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Smyth, P.P.A., Hetherton, A.M., Carroll, D.O. et al. Iodine intake in Ireland — An update. I.J.M.S. 157, 377–379 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02948372

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