Endocrine Abstracts

Objective of the study: To determine the prevalence of thyroid tissue changes in mild iodine deficiency region.

Materials and methods: The 17-th month-lasting study was carried out in Moscow colleges, factories and offices. 1520 people (1403 female, 117 male) median age – 34 years were screened by thyroid ultrasonography with liner probe 7,5 MHz.

Results: Thyroid ultrasound disorders have been demonstrated to be high prevalent in women – 37.6% (527/1403) vs men – 13.7% (16/117). As a male cohort was not large enough, only female screening results were evaluated. Nonpalpable focuses of thyroid tissue under 1 cm in diameter were found in 12.5% (176 patients). Thyroid nodules larger than 1 cm were observed in 10.3% (144/1403) patients, 88 (6.3%) – had solitary thyroid nodules, 56 (4.0%) – had multinodular goiters. Diffuse hypoechogenic thyroid tissue was found in 8.7% (122) patients. Diffuse goiter (with normal echogenic tissue) was revealed in 6.1% (85) patients.

Conclusion: In Moscow (mild iodine deficiency region) the overall prevalence of ultrasound thyroid abnormalities were found 37.6%. We revealed that nonpalpable focuses of thyroid gland under 1 cm are the most prevalent pattern (12.5%) in all age groups. Our study confirms the common established trend: the relative decrease of diffuse goiter prevalence in comparison with nodular goiter (with multinodular goiter predominance) in eldery people (>45 years old).