RESUMEN
Epidemiological investigations regarding the incidence of thyroid diseases reveal that in the Silesia thyroid diseases constitute 13.5% of all illnesses in Poland. AIM: The aim of this study was to analyze the structure of thyroid diseases in Piekary Slaskie in the years 2006-2011 and evaluate the effectiveness of the implemented Thyroid Disease Prevention Programme. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The material comprised the thyroid test results of 1137 patients who consented to take part in the Thyroid Disease Prevention Program in the years 2006-2011. The patients who underwent the examination constituted 2.04% of the whole population residing in Piekary Slaskie. Assessment of thyroid function was based on hormonal measurements (thyroid-stimulating hormone, TSH), thyroid ultrasound, ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy of thyroid. RESULTS: The examinations conducted in 1137 participants of the Thyroid Disease Prevention Programme in the years 2006-2011 prove that the program allowed to diagnose thyroid nodular lesions in 44.1% of examined people, thyroiditis in 57.5% of patients, increased thyroid volume in 27.1% of subjects, hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism in 26.9% of examined patients, and neoplastic disease in 1.1% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: The Thyroid Disease Prevention Program being the subject of assessment has met its objective aimed at prophylaxis in Piekary Slaskie, as thanks to the conducted diagnostic procedures, it allowed to provide treatment of thyroid diseases at their different stadiums.