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Since 1995, water iodization has been the principal intervention for control of iodine deficiency in longhouse communities in the interior of Sarawak, Malaysia.1 However, in school-going children, almost all of whom reside in hostels, iodized salt continues to be used. To assess the adequacy of iodized salt in combating iodine deficiency in schoolchildren, we investigated thyroid function in 8- to 9-year-olds in the Ng Kesit (n = 62) and Ng Tibu (n = 57) hostels in Lubok Antu district in November 1995. Serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroxine (T^sub 4^), and triiodothyronine (T^sub 3^) levels were determined by commercial-kit radioimmunoassays. Low serum T^sub 4^ levels (<64 nmol/L) were found in 7 (11.3%) children in Ng Kesit and 5 (8.8%) in Ng Tibu. Median urinary iodine2 and thiocyanate3 levels were, respectively, 60.8 ((mu)g/L and 1.41 mg/dL in Ng Kesit and 74.6 (mu)g/L and 1.35 mg/dL in Ng Tibu, suggesting mild iodine deficiency and substantial goitrogen consumption in both groups of children.
In January 1996, we installed an iodinator in the water supply of Ng Kesit. Ten months later, a follow-up evaluation was conducted. The results are presented in Table 1. In Ng Kesit, the median urinary iodine level of...