Endocrine dysfunctions in patients with beta thalassemia major: a single-center retrospective study from Basrah

Abstract* Background The management of patients with beta thalassemia major (BTH) involves regular blood transfusions which are associated with iron overload. This may result in various endocrine dysfunctions (EDs). This study aimed to assess the obesrved frequency of different EDs in patients with transfusion-dependent BTH. Method A retrospective study that included 496 patients with BTH who were referred from the Basra Center for hereditary blood diseases to Faiha Specialized Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolsim Center for endocrine-related complaints and underwent detailed endocrine assessments from Jan 2010 to Dec 2023. Results The mean presentation age for endocrine evaluation was 13.6 ± 6.5 years with no difference between male and female. The commonest clinical presentations of BTH patients in our center were short stature 65.5%, amenorrhea 16.4, hyperglycemia 13.7%, delayed puberty 13.3, and hypocalcemia 5.2%. The proportion patients with ED was 16.8%. The most frequent EDs were growth hormone deficiency (GHD) 6.0%, diabetes mellitus (DM) 4.9%, hypogonadism 4.5%, hypothyroidism 3.2%. Within those patients, 78.7% had single ED, 16.5% had two EDs and 4.8% had three or more EDs. Conclusion EDs were observed among patients with BTH. The commonest EDs were GHD, DM, and hypogonadism. We recommend regular and timely surveillance using both clinical and hormonal assessment in patients with BTH.