Thyroid diseases and iodine prophylaxis after Chernobyl accident in Wroclaw region (South-West part of Poland)

The radiological contamination of Wroclaw region after Chernobyl accident was evaluated as moderate. In the frame of Research Programme MZ-17 4310 persons (2012 men an 2298 women) were randomly selected and investigated. Among them were 1525 children up to 16 years old. 925 children and 854 adults took potassium iodide; only minority in April but majority between May 1st and May 5th. Side effects was rare phenomenon seen in about 5% of those who ingested potassium iodide and in majority of cases was very mild (which rash and vomiting as most common clinical symptoms). Only 13 persons with side effects have visited physicians. Among 955 women aged 19-40 years 71 were pregnant in May 1986. 55 of them delivered on time, 3 before time. Average health state of newborns was 9.1 according to Apgar scale. 10 women have had spontaneous abortion and 3 decided to determinate pregnancy in first 6 weeks. The physical examination revealed the presence of diffuse goiter in 384 persons and of nodular goiter in 23 persons. In majority of cases the goiter was small, OB or 1 st. according to WHO classification. (author). 9 tabs