High-iodide endemic goiter.

Epidemiologic survey reveals that endemic goiter is prevalent among the inhabitants of 6 villages (Group A) situated near the sea coast in Huanghua County, Hebei Province. These villagers all drink deep-well water with high iodine content. Average goiter incidence is 7.3%, and physiologically enlarged thyroid glands 28.36%. Only 5.99% of the patients have goiter larger than Grade I, none have Grade III. Only 5.36% of the goiter is nodular type. No endemic cretinism is found. Urine iodine is very high; thyroid 24 hr 131I uptake is very low; serum T4,T3 and TSH are all within normal range. Two other villages (Group B) in the vicinity are similarly examined, the inhabitants are also fishers, but they drink old fashioned shallow well water, the iodine content of which is normal. The urine iodine excretion is lower than that of Group A but is still distinctly higher than in Tianjin residents. They have a 1.52% goiter incidence and 8. 73% incidence of physiologically enlarged thyroid.