[Relationship of subclinical hypothyroidism and goiter with the origin of water consumed by a population of the Buenos Aires suburbs].

Subclinical hypothyroidism (SH), elevation of the level of thyrotrophin with normal thyroid hormones, along with goiter (glandular size > 25g), increased in recent decades. In order to relate the prevalence of goiter and SH with the consumption of groundwater, as a population etiological risk factor, we analyzed 879 clinical histories from a medical center in the city of Glew in the South Buenos Aires suburbs. The population was studied according to age (20 to 60 and 12 to 19 years) and type of water consumed (potable water or groundwater). Groundwater was consumed by 70.5% of the group from 20 to 60 years old (n = 559, 79.9% women) and by 66.3% of the group from 12 to 19 years old (n = 57, 81.4% women In the group of 20 to 60 years, the prevalence of SH in potable water and groundwater users was 1% and 57.8% (p < 0.0001) and the goiter rate of 3.8% and 38.9% (p < 0.0001) respectively; with an attributable risk to groundwater of 57% for HS, and 35% for goiter In the group of 12 to 19 years, the prevalence of SH was 6.9% and 52.6% (p < 0.0001) and goiter 13.8% and 77.2% for the water and groundwater groups (p > 0.0001) respectively, with an attributable risk of 46% for HS y 61% for goiter. The physicochemical analysis showed the presence of nitrates in the range of 24 to 83 mg/l in groundwater and absence in potable water. The increased prevalence of HS and goiter could be due to the thyroid disrupting action of nitrates.