SVIBOR - Project code: 3-01-222

MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Strossmayerov trg 4, HR - 10000 ZAGREB
tel.: +385 1 459 44 44, fax: +385 1 459 44 69
E-mail: ured@znanost.hr

SVIBOR

SVIBOR - Collecting Data on Projects in Croatia

Project code: 3-01-222


EPIDEMIOLOGY OF GOITER IN CROATIA


Main researcher: KUSIĆ, ZVONKO (119493)


Assistants
Type of research: applied
Duration from: 04/30/91. to 04/30/94.
Papers on project (total): 31
Papers on project quoted in Current Contents: 8
Institution name: Bolnica "Sestre milosrdnice", Zagreb (134)
Department/Institute: Department of Oncology and Nuclear Medicine
Address: Vinogradska c. 29
City: 10000 - Zagreb, Croatia
Communication
Phone: 385 (0)41 57 58 34
Fax: 385 (0)41 57 28 88
Summary: Prior to the introduction of iodine prophylaxis (1953.) in Croatia, in some parts of the country the prevalence of endemic goiter among the school-children was from 45% to 85%. This measure resulted 10 years later in a significant reduction of goiter prevalence to 21-45%. In Croatia the estimation of endemic goiter has not been carried out recently, but clinical data still inidicate further persistence of goiter prevalence. Due to this fact the objectives of the project are: evaluation of the goiter prevalence in Croatia, finding out whether the increased prevalence still persists as a result of reduced iodine intake by the organism and finally eradication of the endemic goiter as a public health problem. Epidemiological investigations on 3400 school children aged 7-15 years will be included into the study. The examination of children will be primarily carried out in previously goitrogenous regions of Zagreb and northwest Croatia: Samobor - Rude; Slavonia (eastern part of the country): Đakovo, Osijek; Primorje (northern Adriatic coast area) and Gorski Kotar: Delnice, Rijeka, island Krk; Dalmatia (southern Croatia) and Zagora: Lovreć, Split and island Brač. Goiter size will be estimated by palpation and classified by Pan American Health Organization and Worl Health Organization (WHO) criteria. Until now the prevalence of goiter was assesed by neck palpation of a total of 2821 school-children in 9 communities. The overall prevalence varied from 8% to 36% (Split 8%, Supetar 10%, Rijeka 13%, Lovreć 14%, Zagreb 19%, Đakovo 22%, Osijek 28%, Krk 32% and Rude 36%). Thyroid volume determined by USG in 13 years old children in Zagreb was 10,2 +/- 2,3 mL (two fold biger than in Sweden), while measured iodine excretion in Zagreb school children had low border value with median of 9,0 ug/dL. It is also planed to measure serum level of T3, T4 and TSH in some patients (by sensitive method) as well as to determinate TSH level in newborns. Beside that in some patients with goiter and healthy volunteers the immunological competence is going to be evaluated in order to determine possible immunological disturbances caused by iodine deficiency.

Keywords: ENDEMIC GOITER, IODINE DEFICIENCY, CROATIA

Research goals: Iodine deficiency is a major public health problem. Besideendemic goiter and cretenism, a number of disorders may be causedby severe iodine deficiency in the organism: lower fertilityrate, increased miscarriage and still-born incidence, congenitalanomalies, perinatal mortality rate, retardation in body andmental development and tyroid insufficiency. The main goal of ourproject is to evaluate goiter prevalence in Croatia and to findout if the increased prevalence still persists as a result ofreduced iodine intake by the organism. Such investigations havebeen performed several times in the majority of Europeancountries. In a number of them it has been determined that amountof 10 mg of iodine per 1 kg of salt is insufficient, so thatamount of iodine has been increased up to 20 mg/kg of salt (i.e.Austria, Switzerland, former GDR). The present, mostly clinical,knowledge indicates a probable low iodine intake in some parts ofCroatia, but there is no reliable estimation of endemic goiter.Based on our research findings we should be able to concludewhether the regulations of the Croatian law on mandatoryiodination of all salt for human and animal use need changing,and should the amount of iodine be increased. So the long-termgoal of the project is eradication of the endemic goiter as apublic health problem in the Croatia. One Ph.D thesis (author: Mesaroš-Šimunčić) and two MSc. thesis (Lacić and Voskresensky-Horvat) are supposed to came out as a results of proposed investigation.

COOPERATION - PROJECTS


  1. Name of project: Kontrola jodne profilakse na području Republike Hrvatske s uvođenjem potrebnih mjera za suzbijanje gušavosti
    Name of institution: Komisija za suzbijanje gušavosti i kontrolu jodne profilakse pri Ministarstvu zdravstva Republike Hrvatske
    City: 10000 - Zagreb, Croatia

COOPERATION - INSTITUTIONS


  1. Name of institution: The International Council for the Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (ICCIDD)
    Type of institution: State administration
    City: Brussels, Belgija
Other information about the project.
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