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Endocrinal Complications in Children and Adolescents with Thalassemia Major in Central India: An Observational Study

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Indian Journal of Pediatrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

To determine the prevalence of short stature, delayed puberty, hypothyroidism, and diabetes mellitus in multiply transfused patients of beta thalassemia major and their correlation with serum ferritin.

Methods

A descriptive observational study was conducted in a tertiary care center in Indore, Madhya Pradesh from 2014 to 2016. All children with thalassemia major of the age group 8 to 18 y attending outpatient department or admitted in ward were included in the study. Detailed clinical history, demographic data, compliance to transfusion and chelation therapy, and growth parameters were recorded. Blood samples to look for endocrinopathies and serum ferritin were assessed. Tanner staging was done to assess for delayed puberty.

Results

Mean age of study participants (n = 50) was 15.98 ± 3.4 y. Short stature (n = 44; 88%), delayed puberty (n = 33; 71.7%), hypothyroidism (n = 6; 16%), and diabetes mellitus (n = 5; 10%) were the endocrinal abnormalities found. Mean serum ferritin level was 3122 ± 2117 ng/mL. Serum ferritin had significant positive correlation with serum TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone), fasting blood sugars, postprandial blood sugar, and delayed puberty.

Conclusion

Evaluation of endocrinopatines must be carried out in thalassemia major patients regularly by pediatricians to detect and treat endocrinal complications. Importance of chelation therapy must be emphasized frequently to parents and patients.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Mr. Piyush Mishra for helping them with statistics.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Government Medical College, Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh, 450001, India

    Nandini Dixit, Garima Agrawal Varshney & Pramila Verma

  2. Department of Neonatology, Imperial College, London, UK

    Chandan Kumar Shaw

  3. ICMR-National Institute of Research in Tribal Health, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India

    Ravindra Kumar

  4. Department of Pathology, Government Medical College, Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh, India

    Purti Agrawal Saini

Authors
  1. Nandini Dixit
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  2. Chandan Kumar Shaw
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  3. Garima Agrawal Varshney
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  4. Ravindra Kumar
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  5. Purti Agrawal Saini
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  6. Pramila Verma
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Contributions

ND, CKS, GAV: Conceptualization and methodology; ND, RK: Formal analysis and investigation; GAV, ND, PAS: Writing—Original draft preparation; GAV, CKS, RK: Writing—Review and editing; CKS, GV, PV: Supervision. PV will act as the guarantor for this paper.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Garima Agrawal Varshney.

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Ethical Approval

Approval was taken from the Ethics and Research Committee SAMC & PGI, Indore, Madhya Pradesh.

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Written informed consent was taken from parents of all the participants.

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Dixit, N., Shaw, C.K., Varshney, G.A. et al. Endocrinal Complications in Children and Adolescents with Thalassemia Major in Central India: An Observational Study. Indian J Pediatr 89, 983–988 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-021-03883-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-021-03883-6

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