The strategy for elimination of iodine deficiency in the population was developed and implemented in the Republic of Belarus. It is based on acceptance of recommendations that iodized salt is a unique source of iodine support. Currently, adequate iodine consumption is achieved. The prevalence of thyroid gland diseases caused by iodine deficiency was significantly decreased. In 2013, the International Council for Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (ICCIDD), a global non-profit non-governmental organization established to eliminate iodine deficiency and its negative consequences, published the results of iodine status assessment in the world. According to these data, the Republic of Belarus provides adequate iodine intake. In 2016, Iodine Global Network published maps characterizing iodine supply for the two main categories — school-age children and pregnant females. These data have confirmed that the Republic of Belarus refers to countries with sufficient iodine consumption according to the results of subnational studies. Despite the achieved successes, new issues are raised: quality of iodine sufficiency monitoring, risks of excessive salt intake, and need for new approaches to diagnosing thyroid pathology due to iodine deficiency.

Background. Despite the measures taken by the Government of Belarus, the problem of iodine deficiency among the population remains actual. Aims. To determine iodine sufficiency in children and pregnant women living in Belarus. Materials and methods. The study included 873 schoolchildren aged 9–12 years of both sexes, of which 650 children were in regular schools, and the remaining children in boarding schools. A separate group consisted of 700 practically healthy pregnant women (during gestation from 16 to 36 weeks). Questioning, determination of urinary iodine concentration and thyroid volume with ultrasound was carried out. Results. Urine iodine median was 191 µg/L in the 873 children in 16 regions of Belarus. Thyroid volume corresponds to the normative values in children. According to the survey, 81% of households used iodized salt, constantly – 46%. Indicator of iodine sufficiency of 700 pregnant women (median urinary iodine concentration was 121 µg /l) is a non-optimal for this population group. Conclusions. Currently adequate iodine supplementation in school age children has been achieved. The prevalence of thyroid gland diseases caused by iodine deficiency in children decreased significantly. In pregnant women iodine supply is still insufficient.

Hygienic standards for chemical admixtures contents in food products in the Eurasian Economic Union countries are an integral part of the technical regulations adopted in the Customs Union and the EEU. However, not all of them have been substantiated by the moment in relation to acceptable consumers’ health risk. The aim of this research is to discuss fundamentals for fixing acceptable daily intake (ADI) for chemical substances in food according to human health risk criteria. We analyzed problems related to fixing hygienic standards for chemical substances in food advisable in the process to apply data obtained in previous research and published in relevant literature sources. When choosing points of the establishment for fixing ADI or provisional tolerable intake (PTI) in a situation when data on several different starting points are available, one should choose such parameters that require the application of fewer modifying factors, namely reference levels (BMD) detected as for epidemiologic research results for the most sensitive population groups. It is advisable to supplement a set of mathematic modeling techniques applied for fixing hygienic standards for chemical admixtures content in food products with evolution modeling of health risk that can be applied to verify suggested values. When fixing ADI, one should primarily apply such modifying factors as those that allow for interspecies extrapolation, points of establishment for ADI/PTI, and extrapolation of research results under short-term exposure onto persistent exposure scenarios. The suggested recommendations for substantiation of modifying factors will allow unifying their application to a certain extent when calculating ADI/PTI of chemicals. Before any permissible risk levels are fixed in a process of hygienic standard development, it is advisable to apply the following permissible health risk level: for quantitative assessment, lifelong risk of a severe disease or death being equal to 1∙10-4; for semi-quantitative risk characteristics, hazard quotient equal to 1; for risk evolution analysis, reduced health risk index equal to 0.05.

The problem of iodine deficiency is relevant to the Republic of Belarus. It’s confirmed by virtually commonly found geophysical iodine deficiency in soils and waters. Data on iodine deficiency initiated the development of a state strategy for the elimination of iodine deficiency in the population. This strategy determined the mandatory use of iodized salt only in the country in the food industry and catering as the main event for the elimination of iodine deficiency. The aim of this work was a comprehensive evaluation of the results of the implementation of the strategy for elimination of iodine deficiency among the population of the Republic of Belarus. Medical monitoring of the assessment of the efficacy showed the decrease in the incidence of simple non-toxic goiter in adolescents from 1215,23 per 100,000 population in 1998 to 341,25 in 2013 (3.6 times), and indices ofprimary morbidity rate in children fell by 2.9 times. Over the period from 1998 primary morbidity rate of simple nontoxic goiter decreased significantly in adults from 379.9 to 31,71 people per 100,000 of the population in 2013 respectively (almost 12 times). Data of the assessment of ioduria in Belarus indicate that 89.2% of children enrolled in the study have iodine excretion of more than 100 pg/L. Thus, in the Republic of Belarus there was achieved the level of an adequate intake of iodine with foodstuffs. This model ofprevention of iodine deficiency, as well as the traditional approach based on the adoption of the law, is a versatile and cost-effective mode.

Aim. To study the influence of artificially created stress on hemodynamic parameters of peripheral microcirculation and variability of the heart rhythm in somatically healthy young individuals. Materials and Methods. In the study 30 individuals were involved (of them 16 men) with the mean age 18.21.1 years. An artificial stress was created using Stroop method. Assessment of characteristics of hemodynamics of microcirculation (HM) was performed by the method of dynamic scattering of light from erythrocytes. The signal was integrated in the form of three hemodynamic indexes: HI (Hemodynamic Indexes). Low frequency index (HI1) was determined by a slow interlayer interaction, high frequency area (HI3) characterized fast shearing of layers. HI2 took intermediate position (precapillary and capillary blood flow). Variability of cardiointervals isolated from pulse component, was assessed by method of variation pulsometry (Heart Rate Variability, HRV). Results. In the course of study, increase in the heart rate (HR) in the stage of testing was observed that confirms a high extent of stress load. In hemodynamics, redistribution of blood flow was noted toward slow shear velocities (near-wall blood flow). After cessation of stress load, hemodynamic parameters declined and returned to previous values. Parameters characterizing variability of rhythm LF (sympathetic component), HF (vagal activity), CVI (non-linear parasympathetic index) showed a tendency to growth; here, LF/HF ratio did not change. Conclusion. In result of the carried out study it was possible to formulate a multifactor picture of variation of parameters of microcirculation and of autonomic regulation of cardiac rhythm specific of reactions of adaptation to induced stress. The quantitative criteria of the obtained shears may be integrated into stress indexes to be used in clinical practice. A portable mDLS sensor may be supplemented with specific assessment criteria and used for monitoring of adaptive reactions induced by stressful situations, and for taking early diagnostic and prognostic decisions in the clinical practice, and for self-control of a patient.