Despite the high risk of bias of many of the included studies , the results suggested that urinary iodine , thyroglobin , serum thyroxine , and thyroid-stimulating hormone are useful biomarkers of iodine status , at least in some groups .
BACKGROUND Biomarkers of iodine status are required to study iodine deficiency disorders in different parts of the world and to evaluate the effects of fortification strategies .
OBJECTIVE The objective was to assess the usefulness of biomarkers of iodine status in humans by systematic ally review ing intervention studies that altered iodine status .
Efficacy and safety of iodine in the postpartum period in an area of mild iodine deficiency.
BACKGROUND Iodine deficiency ( even moderate ) plays a major role in pregnancy associated goiter development , which is only party reversible after pregnancy . The prevalence of post partum thyroiditis is reported to be slightly lower in areas of iodine deficiency . Thus iodine supplementation may be effective in decreasing pregnancy associated increase in thyroid volume , but enhances the risk of increasing the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in the post partum period . Therefore , we evaluated the effect of iodine supplementation ( with two different doses : 50 microg and 250 microg ) on the prevalence of post partum thyroiditis and the decrease in thyroid volume up to 8 months post partum in an area of mild iodine deficiency . PATIENTS AND METHODS Thyroid volume of 56 women was evaluated 5 days and 3 months after delivery ( study I ) . In an intervention study ( Study II ) 70 women were r and omized to receive 50 or 250 microg of potassium iodide for a period of 8 months post partum beginning five days after delivery . Thyroid volume , the echogenecity of the thyroid gl and , thyroid hormone parameters ( T4 , T3 , fT4 , TSH ) and thyroid antibodies ( TPO and Tg-Ab ) were measured 5 days , 3 and 8 months after delivery . RESULTS A total number of 11 women developed postpartum thyroid dysfunction : 4 women developed manifest thyroid dysfunction ( 3 hyperthyroidism and 1 hypothyroidism ) 3 months post partum . The remaining seven had sub clinical hypo- or hyperthyroidism . All changes were clinical ly mild and transient as evidence d by normalization of thyroid hormone parameters on reexamination at 8 months . Among the eleven , 6 women in the 50 microg iodine group and 5 women of the 250 microg iodine group developed thyroid dysfunction , suggesting that the iodine dose did not affect post partum thyroiditis . The administration of only 50 microg iodine was associated with a significant fall of thyroid size already 3 months after delivery ( 25.4 + /- 1.5 ml ( mean + /- sem ) to 18.2 + /- 1.25 p < 0.001 ) . The application of 250 microg iodine was equally effective . 8 months post partum a slight but further decrease could be demonstrated . On the other h and , in study I no significant reduction in thyroid volume was observed in women receiving no supplementary iodine ( thyroid volume at delivery 29 + /- 2.2 ml ; at 3 months 27.5 + /- 3.0 ml . CONCLUSION The administration of supplementary iodine ( up to 250 microg ) to an unselected population , residing in an area of mild iodine deficiency , in the post partum period is save as indicated by a prevalence of 5.7 % manifest thyroid dysfunction . These changes are clinical ly mild and transient . Even the amount of 50 microg of iodine supplementation seems to by very efficient in reducing pregnancy associated increments in thyroid volume
Despite the high risk of bias of many of the included studies , the results suggested that urinary iodine , thyroglobin , serum thyroxine , and thyroid-stimulating hormone are useful biomarkers of iodine status , at least in some groups .
BACKGROUND Biomarkers of iodine status are required to study iodine deficiency disorders in different parts of the world and to evaluate the effects of fortification strategies .
OBJECTIVE The objective was to assess the usefulness of biomarkers of iodine status in humans by systematic ally review ing intervention studies that altered iodine status .