Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Interaction between genetic and environmental factors is the foundation of the pathogenesis of autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT). One of the important factors is iodine supply. Iodine deficiency is the main cause of goiter, dysfunction of the thyroid gland, disorders of mental and physical development. Main solution of that problem is the iodine salt consumption. It can decrease iodine deficiency, but the RF doesn’t have general programs of salt iodization and has a lot of regions with low iodine supply.

Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in 3 districts of the Tula region (TR) (n=286), 4 districts of the Chechen Republic (CR) (n=302). The volume of the study was 588 adult people (over 18 years old). Examinations by an endocrinologist with taking anamnesis of life, evaluating anthropometric parameters, palpation of the thyroid gland. Participants of the study had thyroid ultrasound, analysis of venous blood for TSH, free fractions of T4, T3, antibodies to thyroid peroxidase (AT-TPO). The study is supported by the Russian Science Foundation, Grant No.22-15-00135.

Results: According to the results of the study, the prevalence of thyroid pathology is 81.79% in the CR, 42.66% in the TR. 19.9% participants in the TR, 27.15% in the CR have an elevated titer of AT-TPO in the blood serum. 19.9% participants in the TR, 21.2% in the CR have ultrasound signs of autoimmune thyroid changes. Prevalence of hypothyroidism due to AIT is 16.4% in the structure of the general thyroid pathology in the TR; there are 13.36% in the CR. 21% participants with hypothyroidism in the TR, 15% in the CR have the gland hypertrophy. The frequency of nodular goiter according to thyroid ultrasound is 95% in the general thyroid diseases in the TR, 83% in the CR, the combination of nodular goiter and AIT is 0.35% in the TR, 7.3% in the CR.

Conclusion: The TR and the CR are confirmed iodine-deficient regions. The obtained data on the prevalence of thyroid pathology and nodular goiter is higher than the data of official statistics (21.3% and 42% in the TR; 27% and 73.8% in the CR, FSSS, 2021). The obtained data reflect the problem of the high prevalence of thyroid pathology, including iodine deficiency thyroid diseases, in the whole area of the RF, in the absence of mass iodine prophylaxis at the state level. The data formed the basis for the creation of regional programs for the prevention of iodine deficiency.