[Comparison of the thyroid autoantibodies and urinary iodine concentration in hypothyroid and normal individuals in Rafsanjan city in 2006]

Thyroid disorders are among the most prevalent autocrine diseases. The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of thyroid autoantibodies and iodine consumption in hypothyroid patients and healthy subjects. This cross-sectional study was performed through simple non-probability sampling on 75 hypothyroid subjects [TSH >5 mIU/ml, T4 <60 nmol/L and T3RUP=30 -40%] age 20-75 [M/F=28/47] as cases, and 75 normal individuals [TSH and T4 normal, sex and age matched with the case group] as control. Urinary iodine concentration, antithyroperoxidase [Anti-TPO] and antithyroglobulin [Anti-Tg] were measured in all individuals. Statistical analysis was done in SPSS, using t-test and Fisher's exact test. P-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. In hypothyroid individuals urinary iodine concentration was less than the control group [p<0.0001], whereas Anti-TPO and Anti-Tg were significantly higher [p<0.0001 and p<0.0001 respectively]. Fifty percent of the subjects, above 60 years old, had urinary iodine deficiency. Thyroid autoimmunity is one of the main causes of hypothyroidism in Rafsanjan city and it seems that autoimmunity is not due to the increase of iodine consumption. In addition, iodine deficiency is a health problem in elderly individuals in this study and considering the special conditions of these individuals it must be replaced with other manners

[ relationship between copper and zinc concentration and free radical markers in copper industry workers]

Copper and zinc play a key role in oxidative reactions and in vivo studies have shown their different effects. In this study we examined the influence of exposure to copper and zinc on catalase and superoxide dismutase [SOD] activities in erythrocytes, total serum antioxidant capacity and malondiadehyde [MDA] production of copper industry workers. In the present study, 70 workers in a Copper Industry and 70 healthy controls with the age range of 35-55 years were studied. The catalase assay and SOD activity in RBC lysate and total antioxidant were measured by spectrophotometric methods. Using thiobarbitoric acid reaction, MDA concentration was determined. The results showed a higher copper and zinc concentration in serum of worker group [113.8 +/- 2.2 and 148.3 +/- 3.2micro g/L respectively, P<0.001] in comparison with the control group [104.5 +/- 1.5 and 107.7 +/- 2micro g/L respectively]. Serum catalase and SOD activities in RBC were higher in workers [7621.7 +/- 199.3 and 1489.5 +/- 12.3micro /l] than in the control group [7049.1 +/- 157.4 and 1421.7 +/- 11.1 micro /l respectively, P<0.05, for SOD only]. Serum total antioxidant was significantly higher in workers than controls [1.6 +/- 0.03 vs. 1.4 +/- 0.01] and it was the same for MDA concentration [245.5 +/- 3.7nmol/gHb in the worker group compared to 205 +/- 3.2nmol/gHb in the control group]. No correlation were found between copper and zinc concentrations and the other factors [P>0.05]. These results suggest that occupational exposure to copper and zinc induces oxidative stress followed by anti oxidative defense system