Analysis of field survey results of iodine deficiency disorders in high-risk areas of Qinghai Province in 2013

Objective To investigate the incidence of new cretinism cases, the prevalence of endemic goiter and the iodine nutritional status in iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) high-risk areas of Qinghai Province, so as to put forward targeted prevention and control measures in these areas. Methods Six townships in Zaduo County and Nangqian County with monitoring coverage rate of iodized salt less than or equal to 80% were selected by simple random sampling, and search of new cretinism cases was carried out in children under 10 years old. Two schools were chosen in every township and the thyroid volume of forty children aged 8 - 10 was determined by B-ultrasonography and their urinary iodine (UI) was determined by As3--Ce4 + catalytic spectrophotometry in each school.Twenty pregnant women were chosen for collecting edible salt and urine samples, and the salt iodine content was determined using self-quantitative kit and their UI was also determined by As3--Ce4+ catalytic spectrophotometry. Results In these 2 high-risk counties of IDD, no cretinism case was found. The goiter rate of children aged 8 - 10 was 0.4% (2/492). A total of 489 urine samples of children aged 8 - 10 and 119 urine samples of pregnant women were tested, the median urinary iodine (MUI) of children was 147.2 μg/L, and the MUI of pregnant women was 61.9 μg/L. A total of 119 salt samples were tested, the coverage rate of iodized salt was 31.9% (38/119). Conclusion New case or suspected new case of cretinism is not discovered in the high-risk areas of IDD of Qinghai Province, median urinary iodine level of children aged 8 - 10 is in the adequate range (100 - 199 μg/L), and median urinary iodine level of pregnant women is in a state of serious iodine deficiency (< 150 μg/L). Key words: Iodine; Deficiency diseases; Goiter, endemic