Study on Goitre Prevalence in Children Post-Iodization
Author Information
Author(s): Das, Sambit, Bhansali, Anil, Dutta, Pinaki, Aggarwal, Arun, Bansal, M.P., Garg, Dinesh, Muthuswamy, Walia, Rama, Upreti, Vimal, Ramakrishnan, Santosh, Sachdeva, Naresh, Bhadada, Sanjay
Primary Institution: Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India
Hypothesis
What is the relationship between goitre prevalence and micronutrient status in school children after iodization?
Conclusion
Despite iodine sufficiency, there is a high prevalence of goitre in children, which is correlated with iron deficiency.
Supporting Evidence
- The prevalence of goitre was found to be 15.1% in the studied population.
- 37.4% of goitrous children had anaemia compared to 24.8% in the control group.
- 20.6% of goitrous children had severe iron deficiency compared to 6.4% in controls.
- Serum ferritin levels negatively correlated with the presence of goitre.
Takeaway
Even though kids are getting enough iodine, many still have goitre, and not having enough iron might be a reason.
Methodology
The study involved screening 2148 children for goitre and comparing 191 children with goitre to 165 without goitre regarding various micronutrient levels.
Potential Biases
Potential observer bias in goitre grading.
Limitations
The study did not explore all potential goitrogens or factors contributing to goitre prevalence.
Participant Demographics
Children aged 6 to 16 years from Chandigarh, India.
Statistical Information
P-Value
P=0.03
Confidence Interval
CI 1.20 - 6.37
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
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