RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the influence of intestinal malabsorption on iodine status in patients who had short gut syndrome and received total parenteral nutrition (group I) compared with control subjects who had eutrophia (group II) and patients who had other illnesses but normal digestive tracts (group III). METHODS: Twenty-seven subjects were studied. Iodine intake was determined by the measurement of iodine in ingested food and in parenteral nutrition solutions. Urinary iodine excretion was measured by the Sandell-Kalthoff reaction. Urinary creatinine, anthropometric, and thyroid hormone functions were also determined. RESULTS: Daily iodine intakes were 658 +/- 125 (mean +/- standard deviation), 573 +/- 204, and 629 +/- 208 microg for groups I, II, and III, respectively. Daily urinary iodine excretion levels were 399 +/- 308, 439 +/- 192, and 370 +/- 268 microg and ratios of urinary iodine (micrograms) to creatinine (grams) were 614 +/- 349, 354 +/- 142, and 483 +/- 292, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences across groups. CONCLUSION: In Brazil the iodine provided by food, including iodized salt, has been sufficient to maintain iodine status in patients with short gut syndrome.