A High Prevalence of Hypothyroidism in Association with Endemic Goitre in Zimbabwean Schoolchildren

One-hundred-and-eighty-eight ostensibly normal, pubertal schoolchildren, aged 9-16 years, residing in Chinamora Communal Land, Zimbabwe, had blood taken to assess thyroid function. Total goitre rate in the area was 44 per cent in primary schoolchildren: 91 of the subjects tested were goitrous. Thyroid stimulating hormone levels (TSH) were above normal (5.0 mu/l) in 66 subjects overall, of whom 39 were goitrous. The 36 subjects with TSH levels above 7.0 mu/l also had total thyroxine (T4) estimations performed: of these, 19 were below 60 nmol/l