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Iodine and Sporadic Goiter in Childhood
Author(s) -
HERLITZ GILLIS
Publication year - 1952
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1952.tb17851.x
Subject(s) - goiter , medicine , iodine , thyroid , hormone , iodine deficiency , pathogenesis , endocrinology , pediatrics , physiology , materials science , metallurgy
Summary Judging from the effects of treatment with iodine, reasons are given for the opinion that endemic and sporadic simple goiter in childhood may have different causes. Two pairs of identical twins with simple goiter of the sporadic type were followed for some years, one of each pair receiving intensive treatment with iodine and the other being left untreated. In neither of the cases could any effect of iodine be demonstrated. An increased demand for iodine in the food was obviously not the cause of the thyroid enlargement in these cases. Various possibilities regarding pathogenesis are discussed. The author is of the opinion that a reduced production of thyrotropic hormone by the anterior pituitary may be responsible for at least some cases of sporadic goiter just before and during puberty. The resulting compensatory enlargement of the thyroid in these cases is not the result of nutritional deficiency and consequently does not respond to the usual treatment with iodine.