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. 2016 Nov 8:14:39.
doi: 10.1186/s12963-016-0111-3. eCollection 2016.

Monitoring the prevalence of thyroid disorders in the adult population of Northeast Germany

Rehman Mehmood Khattak #  1   2 , Till Ittermann #  1 , Matthias Nauck  3 , Harald Below  4 , Henry Völzke  1
Affiliations

Monitoring the prevalence of thyroid disorders in the adult population of Northeast Germany

Rehman Mehmood Khattak et al. Popul Health Metr. .

Abstract

Background: Only a few studies like ours have investigated the effect of long-term stable iodine supply on thyroid disorders in a historically iodine-deficient population, but not with a long follow-up time of 10 years.

Methods: Data were derived from two independent population-based cohorts of the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP-0 [1997-2001] and SHIP-TREND [2008-2012]) comprising 4308 and 4420 subjects, respectively. Diagnosed thyroid disorders were assessed. Thyroid gland dimensions were examined by ultrasound. Levels of serum thyrotropin (TSH) and autoantibodies to thyroperoxidase (anti-TPO Abs) were measured from blood samples.

Results: Median urinary iodine excretion levels decreased from 123.0 μg/l to 112.0 μg/l (p = <0.001) between 2000 and 2010. The prevalence of known thyroid disorders increased from 7.6 % [CI 6.9-8.5] to 18.9 % [CI 17.6-20.1] and of thyroid medication use from 6.2 to 11.1 %. The prevalence of goiter decreased from 35.1 to 29.4 % (p = <0.001), while the prevalence of positive anti-TPO Abs decreased from 3.9 to 2.9 % (p = 0.022). Median serum TSH levels increased from 0.69 mIU/L to 1.19 mIU/L (p = <0.001). Consequently, prevalence of high TSH (mIU/L) increased from 2.6 to 2.9 % (p = 0.452), and low TSH (mIU/L) decreased from 6.6 to 6.4 % (p = 0.737).

Conclusion: The decreased prevalence of iodine-deficient disorders and a stable prevalence of markers of autoimmune thyroid disorders argue for an improved iodine supply of the adult population in Northeast Germany. In contrast, the prevalence of diagnosed thyroid disorders and the intake of thyroid medication increased, although this might be related to inappropriate therapeutic decisions.

Keywords: Epidemiology; Monitoring; Prevalence Trend; Thyroid Disorders.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Age- and sex-stratified change in prevalence of diagnosed thyroid disorders (DTD) and thyroid medication (TM) between SHIP-0 and SHIP-TREND
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Age- and sex-stratified change in urinary iodine excretion (UIE) levels between SHIP-0 and SHIP-TREND
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Age- and sex-stratified change in thyroid volume and goiter prevalence between SHIP-0 and SHIP-TREND
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Age- and sex-stratified change in prevalence of hypoechogenic thyroid pattern (HTP) and positive anti-TPO antibodies (anti-TPO Abs) between SHIP-0 and SHIP-TREND
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Age-stratified frequency distribution of low and high TSH between SHIP-0 and SHIP-TREND
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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