The Evaluation of Prevalence of Thyroid Disorders in Diagnosed Cases of Goiter in the Health Visit Program in Markazi Province 1379-80

During the history of internal medicine Goiter has always been at the center of attention as one of the most important endemic disorders. It is estimated that about one billion people around the globe are affected with Goiter. Iran is recognized as an cndemic area for Goiter. The aim of this study was to reveal the pattern of distribution of different thyroid disorders in-patients with Goiter in Markazi Province.

It was a descriptive-cross-sectional study that enrolled 2138 patients with Goiter who were selected randomly and by categorized sampling (F=1542, M=596) TSH serum titers were checked for screening and if abnormal, detailed thyroid function tests were done. We used Radon ELISA Kits previously checked with RIA in our study. Patients were first examined for Goiter and graded if Goiter was found, and if it was nodular, the patient was referred for sonography, thyroid scan and FNA. Then the patients were further evaluated based on clinical findings and laboratory results for various thyroid disorders.

In this study we evaluated 2138 pts with Goiter (72% (1542)=F, 28% (596)=M) from which 83.1% had a simple Goiter, 6.94% were hypothyroid, 3.36% had subclinical hypothyroidism. 4.8% were hypothyroid, and 1.17% had subclinical hypothyroidism. 13 pts (0.7%) had nodular Goiter that in one case it was diagnosed as papillary carcinoma. Three patients had coid nodules and the rest had multiple warm nodular or diffuse Goiters. In 44.3% of cases Goiter was in grade IA and in 34% cases it was graded as IB. Goiter was the most prevalence (32.5%) in 10-19 age group and it was least prevalence (2.1%) in pts over 70.

Goiter is endemic in Markazi Province, but its prevalence in the children of recent decade is declining and in previous decades, clinical and subclinical forms of hypothyroidism and hypothyroidism are more prevalent.