Endemic goitre and plasmatic levels of vitamins A and E in the school-children on the island of Krk, Croatia.

A total of 1975 school-children on the island of Krk aged 7-19 years of life were included in this study. The purpose was to establish the goitre status and plasmatic level of vitamins A and E in the examined children with the enlarged thyroid gland. The goitre prevalence was 29.8%. The average plasmatic values of vitamins A and E in the children with enlarged thyroids were statistically significantly lower from the reference values. Mentioned goitre prevalence at the level of moderate and heavier endemic goitre speaks on behalf of alimentary iodine deficiency. But the goiter examinations suggested the idoine deficiency not to be the only etiological factor of goitre on the island of Krk. Lower average plasmatic values of vitamins A and E in the examined with the enlarged thyroids referred to this fact to a certain degree.