The excretion of urinary iodine was studied in a representative population sample from the county of Funen, Denmark, comprising 505 persons between 25\p=n-\44 years of age, stratified according to geography, age, and sex. Urine samples were collected for 5 h during late afternoon and early evening. The 24-h iodine excretion was estimated on the basis of iodine and creatinine determinations using correlation equations determined in a pilot study of 50 men and women. The iodine excretion was significantly higher in men: 89 \g=m\g/24 h (median) than in women: 76 \g=m\g/24h; the whole population: 85 \g=m\g/24 h. No significant differences were observed among the age groups studied.The iodine excretion was significantly higher in people living on small islands: 98 \g=m\g/24 h (median) compared with 84 \g=m\g/24 h in urban regions and 78 \g=m\g/24 h in rural districts. Median iodine excretion per gram of creatinine was 58.8 \g=m\g for the whole sample. The iodine excretion for men was 77% higher than reported in an earlier investigation performed in Funen, 1969, but still lower than internationally recommended (WHO).

The effect of subtotal thyroid resection for thyrotoxicosis on concentrations of serum thyroid hormones and thyroglobulin (Tg), was determined in 10 patients during operation and the subsequent 18 days. Mean serum Tg responded drastically, increasing from a pre-operative value of 0.30 nmol/l to a peak value of approximately 26 nmol/l during operation followed by a gradual decline to levels lower than before surgery on day 18. Mean serum total thyroxine was 114 nmol/l pre-operatively and free thyroxine index (FT4I) 105 units. Both fluctuated only slightly during operation. Postsurgically, the mean values decreased to below 50% of the pre-operative level. Mean serum total triiodothyronine (TT3) was 1.46 nmol/l pre-operatively. It decreased during operation, reaching a nadir of 0.55 nmol/l on day 2, whereafter the concentration increased slightly. Mean serum reverse T3 (rT3) was 0.45 nmol/l pre-operatively, increased 62% during surgery, and decreased postsurgically. The mean value of serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) was 0.61 mU/l pre-operatively and remained below 1 mU/l during and after operation, but from day 10 concentration began to rise steadily. It is concluded that the vast release of Tg during thyroid resection did not contribute to the concentration of serum T4 to an extent of clinical relevance.

A consecutive series of 45 thyroglobulin antibody-negative patients were operated on for nontoxic goiter and subsequently followed systematically for 3 years. Preoperative mean log serum thyroglobulin was elevated with a significantly positive correlation to the size of removed goiter tissue. No thyroid replacement was given postsurgically. Following operation, the thyroglobulin level decreased significantly reaching a minimum at 1 year. Thereafter, there was a continuous rise. Free thyroxine index and serum thyrotropin showed changes corresponding to transient hypothyroidism 1 month after surgery, being gradually normalized within I year. At 3 years, a thyrotropinreleasing hormone (TRH) test showed the highest thyroidstimulating hormone (TSH) response in patients with elevated baseline thyroglobulin. Clinical investigation at 3 years, however, revealed no goiter relapse. Therefore, the predictive value of thyroglobulin with reference to recurrence of goiter could not be established as yet. The hypothetical assumption that patients who postoperatively present an elevated serum thyroglobulin level are more likely to develop recurrence compared to those with low thyroglobulin levels is discussed and will be tested further by a prolonged follow-up period.

ABSTRACT. Twenty‐five patients with newly diagnosed thyrotoxicosis participated in a double‐blind study of the added effect of propranolol during tiamazol treatment. During the trial, the effect of treatment was ascertained by estimation at regular intervals of the clinical score (Crooks‐Wayne index), free thyroxine index, serum triiodothyronine, serum reverse triiodothyronine, serum thyroglobulin and serum thyroglobulin antibodies. Both groups became euthyroid within two weeks. No statistically significant difference in the values for the clinical score or for any of the laboratory parameters measured was found between propranolol‐ and the placebo‐treated patients. It is concluded that propranolol has no beneficial effect on tiamazol‐treated hyper‐thyroid patients.