Specifics of adaptive compensatory reactions formation among mining workers of North Ossetia - Alania in goitrous endemia condition

The present article is dedicated to the investigation of prevalence of endemic goiter, severity of iodine deficiency, functioning of thyroid gland, and the state of interferon system and cytokine profile in the workers of Electrozinc mining enterprise. In the course of investigation endemic goiter was detected in a number of people working at Electrozinc. This number corresponds to the regional level of endemia. Examination of the patients showed various disorders in cytokine balance. Namely, the examination of people working in the shops where they deal with zinc showed hyperstimulation of cytokines that predominantly give rise to the cellular immune answer, whereas those people who do not work directly with lead or zinc showed suppression of synthesis of the two main cytokines that start the immune answer according to both Th-1 and Th-2 types. The patients of both groups showed a rise of the main antiinflammatory cytokine of TNF-α.