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We have demonstrated findings of autoimmune thyroid disease at markedly increased frequency in a population of children with poor iodine nutriture who were exposed to low level radiation, compared to a more iodine deficient population not so exposed. These results suggest that low level radiation may induce thyroid gland changes in children who have inadequate iodine intake nutriture and reinforce the importance of adequate dietary iodine.

Primary GH insensitivity (Laron syndrome) due to GH receptor deficiency (GHRD) is an autosomal recessive condition characterized by severe growth failure. Diverse alterations in the GHR gene have been reported in affected individuals. We report here the first family with GHRD from Russia, with two affected siblings and consanguineous parents. Analysis of blood spot DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), denaturing gradiant gel electrophoresis, and nucleotide sequencing indicated that these siblings are homozygous for a nonsense mutation, R43X, in the GHR gene. The R43X mutation, which changes an arginine codon to a translational stop codon, occurs at a CpG dinucleotide mutational hotspot and has previously been identified in affected individuals of Mediterranean and Ecuadorian origin.

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A total of 166 patients (72 males and 94 females) with insulindependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) aged 5 to 21 years with disease duration of 1 to 18 years were examined in order to assess the clinical picture and epidemiology of diabetic nephropathy (DN) in children and adolescents in Moscow. Microalbuminuria (MAU)*was the criterion of DN. DN was diagnosed in 75 (45.7%) of patients: in 64 (85.3%) at the MAU stage and in 11 (14.6%)) at the stage of proteinuria. There were no cases with the nephrotic syndrome or chronic renal insufficiency. The minimal duration of IDDM in adolescents with MAU was about 2 years, in those with proteinuria about 5 years. All patients with DN were pubertal or postpubertal. The incidence of DN did not depend on the sex, age, or pubertal status. DN risk factors in these patients were chronic hyperglycemia, total and prepubertal duration of diabetes, hereditary predisposition to arterial hypertension, and lipid disorders. Therefore, prepubertal children with disease duration of 5 years and adolescents with disease duration of 1 year since IDDM manifestation are to be screened for DN.