Temporal trends in thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroid peroxidase antibody (ATPO) testing across two phases of iodine fortification in Tasmania (1995-2013).

CONTEXT: Tasmania is an island state of the Australian Commonwealth with a well-documented history of mild iodine deficiency. Between 2001 and 2009, Tasmania experienced two incremental phases of iodine fortification. OBJECTIVE: To examine trends in thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroid peroxidase antibody (ATPO) testing and their relationship to different phases of iodine nutrition in the Tasmanian population between 1995 and 2013. DESIGN: Retrospective longitudinal study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: The major primary care and largest public hospital pathology providers in Tasmania submitted data for all TSH and ATPO tests performed between 1995 and 2013. Data linkage methodology was used to determine trends in TSH and ATPO testing. RESULTS: A total of 1.66 million TSH assessments, involving 389,910 individual patients, were performed in Tasmania between 1995 and 2013. There was approximately a fourfold increase in the overall rate of TSH testing during this period with the rate of incident TSH assessment remaining relatively stable over the study period. The incidence of overt suppression and elevation of TSH (TSH≤0.1 mIU/L and ≥10 mIU/L) declined 62.3% and 59.7%, respectively, with a trend for increased incidence of borderline TSH elevation ≥4.0 mIU/L. The incidence of thyroid autoimmunity as determined by the proportion of abnormal ATPO results remained stable, with the absolute number of positive test results increasing during the study period. CONCLUSION: Iodine supplementation of this mildly iodine-deficient population was not associated with an obvious increase in incidence of overt thyroid dysfunction or autoimmunity. Whilst the volume of TSH testing increased over the study period, the increase was driven by patients undergoing follow-up TSH assessments.

Radon contribution to the total effective dose of uranium miners.

Exposure to radon and its decay products is one of the three parts that create the total effective dose of uranium miners. Photons from gamma radiation and exposition to long-lived alpha emitters which are members of uranium family are the other two parts. The monthly total effective dose of uranium miners in mine Rozna I (Czech republic) is determined by the personal dosemeter ALGADE, which ensures the continual individual monitoring of all three parts. The exposed dosemeters are evaluated in the National Institute for Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Protection in Kamenna near Pribram. This paper describes the individual parts of miners' total effective dose considering the different types of work activities and workplaces. The main input data are the evaluation results of the uranium miners' personal dosemeters ALGADE in mine Rozna I in the time period from 2000 till 2012.

Radon in private drinking water wells.

At least 10% of inhabitants in the Czech Republic are supplied with water from private sources (private wells, boreholes). With the increasing cost of water, the number of people using their own sources of drinking water will be likely to increase. According to the Decree of the State Office for Nuclear Safety about the Radiation Protection 307/2002 as amended by Decree 499/2005, the guideline limit for the supplied drinking water ('drinking water for public supply') for radon concentration is 50 Bq·l(-1). This guideline does not apply to private sources of drinking water. Radon in water influences human health by ingestion and also by inhalation when radon is released from water during showering and cooking. This paper presents results of measurements of radon concentrations in water from private wells in more than 300 cases. The gross concentration of alpha-emitting radionuclides and the concentrations of radium and uranium were also determined.