[Dietary iodine deficiency in East Germany following introduction of interdisciplinary preventive use of iodine].

The interdisciplinary iodine prophylaxis introduced in 1985/86 comprises the iodination of 84% of the packaged salt with 32 mg KIO3/kg salt and the use of iodized mixtures of mineral substances in animal production. At the beginning of this measure with an average renal ioduria of 19.0 +/- 1.0 micrograms J/g creatinine in the GDR there was at least still an iodine deficiency of 2nd degree. It increased from north to south: 20.3 +/- 1.0 in contrast 13.4 +/- 1.5 micrograms J/g creatinine. In the middle of 1986 a clear improvement of the supply with iodine began. The renal iodurias had more than doubled. For the GDR the mean ioduria was 43.4 +/- 0.9. The relation from north to south had, if anything, inverted: 37.3 +/- 2.1 in the north, 42-49 micrograms J/g creatinine in the centre and south of the GDR. Nearly one third of the population no more undergoes an iodine deficiency. The intrathyroidal iodine content increases. The improved supply with iodine among others is evident in: reduction of the connatal goiter below 1%, reduction of the recall rate in the TSH hypothyroidism newborn screening, normal thyroid gland mass of the newborn, reduction of the goiter frequency in children and adolescents, transient increase of the frequency of hyperthyroidism, in particular based on functional autonomies in persons older than forty years. In animal production losses of produce amounting to 181 Mic/a were eliminated.