Frequency of Hypothyroidism in Patients with Beta-Thalassemia Major

• Published in: Pakistan Armed Forces medical journal 2023-08, Vol.73 (SUPPL-1), p.S221-225
• Main Authors: Javed, Sehrish, Tariq Ghafoor, Shabbir Hussain, Farooq Ikram, Raazia Nawaz
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Anemia; Blood diseases; Blood transfusions; Care and treatment; Chelation therapy; Childrens health; Disease transmission; Ferritin; Gender; Hypothyroidism; Iron; Metabolism; Pediatrics; Puberty; Thalassemia; Thyroid gland; Thyroid hormones
• ISSN: 0030-9648; 2411-8842
• DOI: 10.51253/pafmj.v73iSUPPL-1.3727

Objective: To determine the frequency of hypothyroidism in patients with beta-thalassemia major in Paediatric department of Pak Emirates Military Hospital, Rawalpindi Pakistan. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Paediatric Medicine Department, Pak Emirates Military Hospital, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Nov 2018 to Oct 2019. Methodology: All transfusion dependant beta-thalassemia major (BTM) patient sir respective of age and gender were consecutively enrolled. For the assessment of thyroid function, a random sample of 3 ml venous blood was drawn. The presence of increased thyroid stimulating hormone and normal T4, T3 were labelled as compensated, increased thyroid stimulating hormone, decreased T4 and/or T3 as uncompensated. Results: Of 73 patients, the mean age of the patients was 7.0±3.87 years. All the patients were getting iron chelation therapy. The mean serum ferritin level was 3911.68±2017.36 ng/mL. Twenty-eight (38.4%) cases were hypothyroid. Subclinical hypothyroidism was documented in 25(89.3%) while clinical hypothyroidism in 3(10.7%) patients. Patients with age >8 years (p=2 years of age at the time of 1st blood transfusion (p8 numbers of blood transfusion (p4000ng/dl serum ferritin levels (p