The Relationship Between Developing Thalassemia Major and Dysfunction of Pancreatic Ëndocrine and Ëxocrine

Background and Frequent transfusions put the patients with thalassemia at risk of iron overload complications which in turn can lead to failure in the function of organs such as heart and endocrine glands like liver and pancreas. Hence، in this study، the researchers are aiming at investigating the clinical and laboratory changes of pancreas in thalassemic patients. This is a descriptive-analytic study in which 64 thalassemia major patients were enrolled and divided in two groups of diabetic and non diabetic. Ïn addition to some demographic and laboratory characteristics، serum amylase، trypsin، lipase، and fecal elastase were measured in both groups. Data were analyzed using t-test، Mann-Whitney، and Fisher’s exact tests. Significant difference was observed in the mean of the last three serum ferritin level between the two groups (P<0. 05). Findings showed that diabetic and non-diabetic patients didn’t have significant differences in the mean level of serum insulin and amylase، and fecal elastase، while significant differences were observed in FBS and 2h postprandial serum glucose (P<0. 05). The analysis of the laboratory tests showed significant differences in serum lipase and fecal elastase in the two groups (P<0. 05). Çonclusion: Diabetes mellitus can lead to some adverse effects on pancreatic functions in the thalassemic children. The incidence of diabetes in thalassemia is more due to tissue resistance against insulin rather than pancreatic beta cells destruction and a decline in the serum insulin level.