Influence of smoking on thyroid volume and renal excretion of thiocyanate and iodide in adults living in Pomerania
- 14.08.2003
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H. Zöllner, H. Below, G. Franke, W. Meng, U. John, A. Kramer, Greifswald Sie finden den
The goitrogenic potential of thiocyanate has been studied for years. The SCN- effects have been found to depend on the SCN- concentration and the ratio of I-/SCN-. Smoking, via cyanide detoxification, increases the SCN- load. The effect of SCN- load and smoking on thyroid function and size is still controversial, however.
To learn about the goitrogenic effect of smoking in adults, we determined thyroid sizes (using ultrasonography) and thiocyanate and iodide excretion in spontaneous urinary samples of a random sample of 4 310 persons of both sexes between 20 and 81 years of age. The study was part of an epidemiological study "Life and health in West Pomerania" (SHIP).
Males who are smokers excreted significantly more thiocyanate (median: 8.76 mg SCN-/l, N = 704) than non-smokers (median: 3.60 mg SCN-/l, N = 1379), while no difference between smokers and non-smokers has been found for thyroid volume and iodide concentration.
In femal smokers, the median SCN- urinary concentrations and thyroid volumes were significantly higher (median: 6.35 mg SCN-/l, N = 583 and 16.7 ml, N = 586) than in non-smokers (median: 2.80 mg SCN-/l, N = 1582 and 15.4 ml, N = 1580). Tobacco consumption had no influence on iodide concentration.
In test persons with iodine deficiency (iodiduria < 5 µg I-/dl urine) the medians of thyroid volumes were in the normal range; this applied to both sexes and was independent of tobacco consumption.
It may be concluded that the higher SCN- load caused by smoking does not contribute to the pathogenesis of endemic goitre. In women, however, smoking is associated with increased thyroid volumes which may lead to thyroid hypofunction in isolated cases.
Keywords: Smoking / thiocyanate / thyroid volume / goitre / iodine deficiency
