ENDEMIC GOITER DUE TO IODINE RICH SALT AND ITS PICKLED VEGETABLES

The incidence of goiter in two villages of Shijiu Commune situated along the sea coast was 31.3 and 41.7%, and the average urine iodine excretion was 1,423.0 and 2,097.0 μg/g creatinine, respectively. Their average iodine contents in drinking water were 35.5 and 26.0 μg/L, respectively. Because the inhabitants in the villages consumed large quantities of kelp salt and its pickled vegetables, we believed that goiter was caused by excessive intake of iodine. The other two villages in Taole Commune had similar geographical conditions as Shijiu Commune did, but their inhabitants took iodine deficient common table salt. Their goiter incidence was 6.7% and 8.0%, respectively. Goiter in these villages is considered as mild iodine excess goiter. The goiter incidence in Mazhao Commune of a hilly region 15 kilometers away from the sea, and in Huangdun Commune of a mountainous region 30 kilometers away from the sea, was 29.4% and 23.5%, respectively. The average urine iodine excretion was low (46.5 and 23.96 μg/g creatinine); it was associated with the low iodine content of drinking water (1.5 and 0.65 μg/L). The inhabitants in both regions were all peasants consuming iodine deficient table salt. Therefore, goiter in the latter two communes is considered as the common iodine deficient goiter.