Autoimmune thyroiditis affects 10-20% of the female population in the West. Iodine seems to be a important environmental factor in the development of thyroid autoimmunity in genetically susceptible individuals and in precipitating hypothyroidism in patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. The present study was conducted to assess the effect of iodine on thyroid function in Hashimoto’s thyroiditis patients. In 80 patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis 41 were clinically hypothyroid (Group I) and 3 were clinically euthyroid (Group II). All of them were using iodized salt, and the mean iodine content of iodized salt provided by the patients was 37 ppm which is above the WHO recommended allowance of 15 ppm. The urinary iodide in mg per g of creatinine in Group I patients was significant higher than in Group II patients (p<0.001). Recovery of thyroid function to normal in five of Group I patients in whom iodized salt use terminated, provides further evidence that these patients has iodine induced transient hypothyroidism.

The safety and efficacy of gliclazide, 80 mg twice daily was evaluated in NIDDM patients who failed to respond to 10mg or more of glibenclamide. Two hundred ad twenty seven patients were evaluated in eight centres. Fasting blood glucose was reduced by >20% in 36% and HbA1c by more than 12.5% in 74% of patients at the end of 12 weeks of treatment. The responders to both a reduction of fasting blood glucose >20% and HbA1c by more than or equal to 12.5% were 32% of patients. There was a significant reduction in total serum cholesterol (p<0.01), triglycerides (p<0.05) and LDL (p<0.01) at the end of 12 weeks. The incidence of side effects was 6.2%.

Forty patients of idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (12 anosmic, 28 euosmic) were evaluated clinically and response to treatment assessed. Associated anomalies were gynaecomastia in 10 cases, obesity in seven cases, cryptorchidism in four cases and extra midline teeth in two cases. The details of the different parameters used in the present study in euosmic and anosmic groups were found to be statistically not significant. Odd radio between treated/untreated cases at the time of study was also not significant. Almost all patients on treatment (except one) responded well to androgens.