Effect of a Low Iodine Diet vs. Restricted Iodine Diet on Postsurgical Preparation for Radioiodine Ablation Therapy in Thyroid Carcinoma Patients

PURPOSE: The radioiodine ablation therapy is required for patients who underwent a total thyroidectomy. Through a comparative review of a low iodine diet (LID) and a restricted iodine diet (RID), the study aims to suggest guidelines that are suitable for the conditions of Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted with 101 patients. With 24-hour urine samples from the patients after a 2-week restricted diet and after a 4-week restricted diet, the amount of iodine in the urine was estimated. The consumed radioiodine amounts for 2 hours and 24 hours were calculated. RESULTS: This study was conducted with 47 LID patients and 54 RID patients. The amounts of iodine in urine, the 2-week case and 4-week case for each group showed no significant differences. The amounts of iodine in urine between the two groups were both included in the range of the criteria for radioiodine ablation therapy. Also, 2 hours and 24 hours radioiodine consumption measured after 4-week restrictive diet did not show statistical differences between two groups. CONCLUSION: A 2-week RID can be considered as a type of radioiodine ablation therapy after patients undergo a total thyroidectomy.

Urinary iodide levels in term newborns and their mothers--a pilot study.

Although the Philippines is considered an iodine-deficient country, there are no documented iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) among newborns screened to be positive for congenital hypothyroidism. The objectives of this pilot study were: (1) to determine the levels of urinary iodide (UI) in normal term newborns and their mothers, and (2) to correlate the UI levels of newborns with that of their mothers. This study included 44 pairs of full term newborns and their mothers who delivered at two hospitals in Manila last July 2001. UI determination by the Rapid Urinary Iodide Test was done during the first 24 hours after delivery. Results showed that eighteen percent (8/44) of the neonates were iodine deficient (<10 microg/dl), 71% (31/44) had adequate UI levels (>10-30microg/dl) and 11% (5/44) had high UI levels (>30microg/dl). None of the mothers had deficient UI levels. Among the neonates who had deficient UI levels, 50% (4/8) of the mothers had adequate UI levels and the other half (4/8) had high levels. Among the neonates who had adequate UI levels, most mothers had high UI levels (22/31 or 71%) and the rest (9/31 or 29%) had adequate UI. All newborns with high UI levels had mothers with high UI levels. Screening for Congenital Hypothyroidism was negative in all the neonates who underwent newborn screening (39/44). In conclusion, most term neonates (82%) had adequate to high UI levels, and 18% had deficient UI levels despite adequate maternal levels. In case of low UI level, repeat determination is advised. If the level remains low, newborn screening using TSH is useful to rule out hypothyroidism. A bigger multicenter study to determine the incidence of IDD in neonates and infants is recommended.