Intra- and interindividual iodine excretion in 24 hours in individuals in southern Brazil: a cross-sectional study.

AIMS To evaluate the variability of 24-hour urinary iodine (UI) excretion intra- and interindividually on three days of a week in healthy subjects, living in southern Brazil, and the correlation among the urinary excretion of iodine and sodium. METHODS Cross-sectional study, including 47 volunteers: 18 individuals with one, 15 individuals with two and 14 individuals with three 24-hour urine samples. Iodine, creatinine and Na(+) excretion in urine during 24-hour were measured. RESULTS Mean height, weight, BMI and 24-hour urinary excretion of creatinine were higher in men. UI and urinary sodium were correlated (n = 89, r = 0.524, p = 0.000). UI excretion varied widely, both inter- and intraindividually, on the 3 days of the week, but the mean excretion of UI was similar. In single individuals, the ratio between the maximum and minimum 24-hour UI excretion (m/m) ranged from 1.03 to 2.87, and the median coefficient of variation (CV) was 21% (P₂₅ = 7.0% and P₇₅ = 36.8%), with a range of 1%-51%. 24-hour UI excretion varied greatly among individuals on Sunday (CV = 47.5% and m/m = 7.75), Monday (CV = 38.7% and m/m = 4.60) and Thursday (CV = 40.4% and m/m = 4.50). UI was adequate in the group of 14 people, however, the UI excretion of two women suggested iodine intake persistently below that recommended by WHO. CONCLUSION The variability of 24-hour UI excretion on different days in the same individual is lower than that observed among individuals.