Endocrine Abstracts

Disorders of the thyroid gland in the Republic of Moldova rank second among endocrine diseases (after diabetes mellitus), hypothyroidism being one of the most widespread diseases. In communities, the prevalence of overt hypothyroidism is from 0.1 to 2 percent, and that of subclinical hypothyroidism is up to 10 percent of adults (increasing even more in women, and with advanced age). Regarding the prevalence of hypothyroidism in the Republic of Moldova, it is necessary to mention the characteristics specific for the country: 1) a mild iodine deficiency; 2) the consequences of the nuclear explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power station; 3) insufficient detection of primary hypothyroidism in the region. The above mentioned determined the need to study the prevalence of hypothyroidism in different districts of Moldova. The subjects were traced via the General Practitioners and Endocrinologists registers. The results of this cross sectional study conducted in 2021 revealed that, among endocrine diseases, thyroid gland disorders represent 30, 7 %, hypothyroidism (as a result of surgical treatment of thyroid cancer, toxic diffuse goiter, nodular goiter, and autoimmune thyroiditis) represents 9, 5 %, hypothyroidism due to Hashimoto thyroiditis constitutes 6, 1 %, and autoimmune thyroiditis – 11, 3 %. Among thyroid disorders, hypothyroidism (as a consequence of surgical treatment of thyroid cancer, toxic diffuse goiter, nodular goiter, and autoimmune thyroiditis) has a 31 % prevalence, and autoimmune hypothyroidism – 19, 9 %. Thus, in 2021, thyroid gland pathologies constituted about a third, de facto occupying the second place after diabetes mellitus, which prevails among endocrine diseases; autoimmune thyroiditis represented 11.3%; hypothyroidism – 9, 5 %, and autoimmune hypothyroidism – 6, 1 %. Among thyroid gland diseases, autoimmune thyroiditis and hypothyroidism constituted about a third each, and autoimmune hypothyroidism – a fifth. Comparing the data mentioned above with those obtained in 1997, the prevalence of thyroid gland disorders, autoimmune thyroiditis, and hypothyroidism of different ethiologies is increasing.Conclusions1. Thyroid gland disorders constitute one of the main endocrine diseases in the Republic of Moldova. 2. Autoimmune thyroiditis constitutes one third of the total number of diseases of the thyroid gland. 3. Hypothyroidism as a consequence of autoimmune thyroiditis, which affects almost all functions of the vital organs and systems of the body, was seen in 19.9 %. 4. The vector of thyroid gland diseases in the Republic of Moldova has an ascending character.