Evaluation of endocrine dysfunction in thalassemia intermedia

Thalassemia is an inherited disease which leads to an imbalance of globin-chain synthesis and consequently, ineffective hematopoiesis. Iron deposits in many important body organs, as endocrine organs due to blood transfusion or ineffective hematopoiessis. The aim of the present study is to assess the endocrine disorders in the patients with thalassemia intermedia referred to the thalassemia center of Bandar-Abbas, Iran. Eighty-six patients with intermediate thalassemia attended the thalassemia center of Bandar-Abbas were enrolled in a cross-sectional, deh1ive-analytic study. They were evaluated for demographic characteristics, past medical history, familial history and physically examined for sexual maturity and thyroid gland weight assessment. Then blood samples were taken to measure thyroid, parathyroid and sexual hormones. Fasting blood glucose, magnesium and ferritin levels were checked and were analyzed by SPSS 16.0. There were 47 males (54.7%) and 39 females (45.3%). Frequency of hypoparathyroidism was 18.6%, diabetes mellitus 8.1%, sub-clinical hypothyroidism 4.65%, hypo-phosphatemia 29.06%, and hypo-magnesemia was 1.16%. Delayed puberty was found in 6.07% girls and, 4.7% boys. Primary amenorrhea was seen in 15.4% of female cases. Moreover, there was not a significant difference in hemoglobin rate between hypoparalhyaism and normal cases (P