СТРУКТУРНО-МЕТАБОЛІЧНІ ОСОБЛИВОСТІ ШКІРИ В УМОВАХ ЙОДОДЕФІЦИТУ

Introduction. According to the World Health Organization, conditions caused by iodine deficiency rank third among the most prevalent non-communicable human diseases. Iodine deficiency occurs regardless of age and gender, although it is attributed to geographic location and dietary habits. Iodine deficiency disrupts thyroid hormone synthesis, resulting in a metabolic imbalance with structural changes in the body. As a target organ for thyroid hormones, the skin undergoes morpho-functional changes in a sequential developmental pattern. However, scientific evidence on a comprehensive study of skin in iodine deficiency, including morphometric analysis from an age-dependent and localized perspective, remains limited. This study aimed to address this gap.The aim of the study is to track morpho-functional changes in thin and thick skin throughout the development of iodine deficiency in postnatal ontogenesis.Material and Methods. The experiment was conducted on 50 white non-pedigree rats, including 25 sexually immature animals (3-5 months old) and 25 sexually mature animals (6-8 months old). Eleven animals from each age group constituted the control group (Group 1). In contrast, 14 animals from each age group were allocated to the experimental groups (Groups 2 and 3) and exposed to iodine deficiency. Tissue samples were collected on days 60 and 90 of the experiment. The research material included depilated skin from the back and metatarsal pads, their homogenates, and blood and urine samples. Morphological, morphometric, and biochemical analyses were conducted using statistical data processing.Results. In iodine deficiency, edematous-dystrophic changes developed in the epidermis and dermis, progressing to day 90 of the experiment. Specific features were identified by examining the dynamics of these changes from an age-related perspective and considering their topographic location. The thinning of the epidermis was more pronounced in immature animals in the metatarsal pad skin, being approximately 92% of the age norm (p˂0.001) and the dermal thickening in this area exceeded the control value by 5.4% (p˂0.001). These morphometric parameters were due to changes in the volumetric density of collagen and elastic fibers affecting the skin glands. Alongside these changes, the blood supply was also altered as the vascular component underwent morpho-functional changes.Conclusion. Thyroid imbalance caused by iodine deficiency is associated with disruptions in metabolic processes throughout the body, specifically within the skin. These changes occur regardless of age and location and tend to progress with the duration of iodine deficiency.