She wasreferred to the Republic of the Marshall

culosis. A tabulation of the prevalenceof positive
and negative tuberculin and Candida tests
according to radiation group and island of
residence at the timeof testing is presented in

Islands Health Service for further evaluation.

The numberof persons evaluatedis too small to
derive a prevalence: of hyperprolactinemia
among Marshallese. Therefore, this finding
does not support or refute a conclusion that
pathologic hyperprolactinemia and, by inference, prolactinomas are unusually common
among the general Marshallese population. |

Table 3. The results indicate that the prevalence

of positive tuberculin tests and the prevalence of
anergy, when analyzedby the chi-squaretest of
independence between two or more samples,
were similar among the radiation exposure

groups.

The frequencyof infection with atypical mycobacteria among Marshallese is unknown. An
analysis of size distribution of positive tests
indicated 2- to 5-mm induration responses from
14.4% of all personstested, a finding compatible
with past exposure to atypicals.

Thyroid Hypofunction
Subclinical thyroid hypofunction, as assessed
by thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) determinationsand responseto thyrotropin-releasing
hormone (TRH), has been documented in 12
persons in the exposed Rongelap group (Larsen
et al. 1982). Annual TSH testing has continued
for this group, and biennial testing is provided
for the Utirik -group. Of 61 persons in the
Rongelap group, 57 had TSH levels determined
in either or both 1983 and 1984. No new casesof
biochemical hypothyroidism were uncovered.
However, since all members of this group are
advised to take suppressive doses of thyroid
hormone (Synthroid), it is possible that new
casesare still emerging but are being masked by
the administered thyroid hormone. Accurate
diagnosis would require the discontinuation of
thyroid hormonefor several weeks, followed by
TSH assays and perhaps TRH stimulation
tests. Because little clinical benefit for the
Rongelap groupis likely, this approach has not
been taken.
The Utirik group received much lower thyroid
radiation doses in 1954 than did persons on
Rongelap, and no thyroxin suppression has
been prescribed for them. Thyroid hypofunction
hasyet to be diagnosedin this group, and, of 104
persons tested in 1983-84, the only elevated TSH
levels found were in four individuals who had
previously undergone thyroid surgery.
Hypothyroidism has numerousetiologies and
occurs not uncommonlyin all populations. Its
spontaneousfrequencyis age related, and 4.4%
of a Massachusetts population over 60 years of
age have been found to have clearly elevated
TSH levels (Sawinet al. 1985). The prevalence of
biochemical hypothyroidism in unexposed
Marshallese was evaluated in 1984. Of 90
persons tested, no TSH elevations were detected.

Hyperprolactinemia
Two exposed women have now been diag-

nosed as having pituitary tumors (Adams etal.
1984a). In the 1980-82 Brookhaven National
Laboratory Marshall Islands report mention
was made of another woman, 82 years of age,
who had mild but persistent serum prolactin
elevations (Adams et al. 1984b). In 1984 this
Utirik patient, No. 2182, was brought to
Cleveland Metropolitan Hospital for surgery for
a suspected thyroid nodule. The presenceof the
nodule was not confirmed preoperatively,
however, and surgery was not performed.
Advantage wastaken of the availability of CT
scanningfacilities at the hospital to evaluate
her fora pituitary lesion. A CT scan of the skull,
with and without contrast, was read as
suggesting a lesion within the sella turcica.
However, the interpretation of Dr. Azad Anand,
neuroradiologist at University Hospital, SUNY,
Stony Brook, indicated that there is no evidence
for a pituitary tumor. Therefore, although it
remains possible that such a tumor exists, no

diagnosis can be confirmed atthe presenttime.

Because the possibility of a third pituitary
tumorin the small numberof exposed persons
still under observation would be a clinical
finding without precedent, a survey of serum
prolactin levels was undertaken in the unexposed comparison group. Of 110 persons
tested, five were found to have mildly elevated
levels. Four of these were found to be normal on
repeat testing. One woman had a persistent
mild elevation of serum prolactin (55 ng/ml).

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