COMPARISON OF LEVELS OF TWENTY CHEMICAL ELEMENTS IN NORMAL THYROID TISSUE AND HYPERTROPHIC THYROID TISSUE

Abstract

Background: Goiter can appear as a palpable or visible enlargement of the thyroid gland at the base of the neck. If the goiter is accompanied by hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, it may be accompanied by symptoms of the underlying disorder, and nodular goiter (NG) is a health problem of international importance. The aim of this exploratory study was to assess whether there were significant changes in thyroid tissue levels of twenty chemical elements (ChE) Al, B, Ba, Br, Ca, Cl, Cu, Fe, I, K, Li, Mg, Mn , Na, P, S, Si, Sr, V, and Zn are present in the goitrous transformed thyroid.

Methods: Thyroid tissue level of twenty ChE was prospectively evaluated in 46 patients with NG and 105 healthy populations. The measurements were performed using a combination of non-destructive and destructive methods: instrumental neutron activation analysis and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry, respectively.  Tissue samples were divided into two parts. One was used for morphological study while the other was for ChE analysis.

Results: It was found that contents of Al, B, Br, Cl, Cu, Fe, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, P, S, Si, V, and Zn are significantly higher while the I levels are lower in NG than in normal tissues.

Conclusion: There are considerable changes in ChE contents in goitrous tissue of thyroid. Thus, it is reasonable to assume that the levels of these ChE in thyroid tissue can be used as NG markers. However, this topic needs additional studies.

                    

Peer Review History:

Received: 2 June 2021; Revised: 7 July; Accepted: 9 August; Available online: 15 September 2021

Academic Editor:  Ahmad Najib, Universitas Muslim Indonesia, Makassar, Indonesia, ahmad.najib@umi.ac.id

Received file:                Reviewer's Comments:

Average Peer review marks at initial stage: 6.5/10

Average Peer review marks at publication stage: 8.0/10

Reviewers:

Prof. Dr. Hassan A.H. Al-Shamahy, Sana'a University, Yemen, shmahe@yemen.net.ye

Prof. Cyprian Ogbonna ONYEJI, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, conyeji@oauife.edu.ng