Endocrine Abstracts

Iodine is important in both thyroid function and human metabolism. The roles of iodine intake on the metabolic syndrome (MetS) etiology remain controversial.

The aim of this study: Was to investigate the relationship between iodine status and MetS and its components. 371 subjects aged ≥20 years were included.

Materials and methods: The presence of MetS was defined according to the Adult Treatment Panel (ATP) III criteria. The prevalence of MetS and its components were calculated based on the level of urinary iodine concentrations (UICs) using the chi-square method. To further explore whether prevalence was associated with UIC, quadratic and UIC-stratified logistic regression models were used.

Results: As UIC changed, the prevalence of MetS presented as a U-shaped curve, showing a lower prevalence of 18.3% at the UIC level of 150-200 μg/l, whereas the prevalence at the UIC level of below 100 μg/l was 32.6%. After adjusting for age, gender and other confounding factors, iodine status of 150-200 μg/l was a protective factor for MetS [OR = 0.674, 95%CI (0.709-0.932)]. UIC level <100μg/l was a risk factor for hypertension.

Conclusions: Urinary iodine concentrations in adults are U-shaped associated with MetS and its components. A UIC level of 150-200 μg/l was beneficial to hypertension, hyperglycemia and hypertriglyceridemia. The beneficial effect disappeared when iodine was deficiency (<100μg/l).