ASSESSMENT OF CIRCULATING TOTAL AND FREE IODOTHYRONINES’ PATTERNS IN ADULT OVINE AND CAPRINE SPECIMENS: INFLUENCES OF ENDEMIC GOITRE AREA

Abstract

North-eastern Sicily is an area with iodine deficiency disorders occurring in both humans and animals. The aim of this study was to test the influences of an endemic goitre area on iodothyronine ranges and their pattern in adult ovine and caprine specimens stabled in different locations of Sicily, taking into account the different sexes. A total of 48 Comisana sheep and 51 Maltese goats was studied. The sheep included 10 females and 6 males stabled in a non-endemic goitre area (farm A: control group), and 16 females and 16 males stabled in an endemic goitre area (farm B: observational group). The goats included 6 females and 13 males stabled in a non-endemic goitre area (farm A: control group), and 16 females and 16 males stabled in an endemic goitre area (Farm B: observational group). The results showed lower T3 and higher fT4 (P< 0,0001), ki so bili nastanjeni na kmetiji B v primerjavi s kmetijo A. V primerjavi s kmetijo A so pri kozah, ki so bile nastanjene na kmetiji B, ugotovili višje ravni prostega T3 (p < 0,0001), pri samcih na kmetiji B nižje ravni T4 (p < 0,0001), pri samicah pa višjo raven prostega T4 (p < 0,0001). Ugotovljene so bile statistično značilne razlike med skupinami tako glede na spol kot glede na endemičnost področja na ravni vezanih in prostih jodotironinov pri ovcah in kozah. Pridobljeni podatki so pokazali, da območja z endemično golšavostjo pri ljudeh nimajo nujno enakega učinka pri ovcah in kozah, za katere se zdi, da so sposobne ustvariti prilagoditveno strategijo, zaradi katere se ne pokažejo klinični znaki bolezni ščitnice. Ključne besede: ščitnični hormoni; ovce; koze; endemična območja z golšavostjo