Prevalence of Diabetes and Impaired Glucose Tolerance Test in Patients with Thalassemia Major

Diabetes is one of the most common endocrine disorder worldwide that due to high prevalence and chronic nature of diabetes imposes a heavy cost on health care system. Therefore this study aimed to assess prevalence of diabetes among patients with beta thalassemia major. This descriptive study was conducted on 364 patients with beta thalassemia major that received at least 100 blood bags. For evaluation of diabetes among these patients, fasting blood sugar and glucose tolerance test were done. Finally relationship between age, gender, age at beginning of transfusion and chelating therapy with occurrence of diabetes were analysis by SPSS-17 software. Among 364 patients with mean age of 17.7±4.9 years prevalence of diabetes was 15.1% (58 patients) that 37.9% (22 patients) were women and 62.1 (38 patients) were men. Due to high prevalence of diabetes in patients with beta thalassemia major, regular check up for endocrine disorders should be consider in these patients.