Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Harran Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Dergisi, cilt.19, sa.3, ss.556-562, 2022 (Hakemli Dergi)
Background: Our aim was to identify risk factors and clinical correlates of endocrine complications in β-thalassemia major (BTM) patients.
Materials and methods: This was a retrospective study carried out in the pediatric hematology and pediatric
endocrinology departments of a tertiary healthcare institution with the medical data of 249 children with BTM
(108 females, 43.4%; 141 males, 56.6%) with a median age of 7.17 (2 -17.8) years. Baseline descriptive, clinical
features including endocrine complications and laboratory data were noted. Correlation between the presence
of endocrine complications and demographic, clinical, and laboratory variables were sought. The effects of age,
gender, race, height, weight, and splenectomy on endocrine complications were evaluated separately in each
complication group.
Results: Vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency is the most common endocrine complication (41.7%). According to
Turkish children, Syrian children had also significantly lower vitamin D concentration (p=0.001). At least one
endocrinopathy was reported in the majority of BTM patients (67.9%). Accordingly, pubertal status (p=0.014)
and Syrian nationality (p=0.007) had significant impacts on TSH levels. Syrian children and those with delayed
puberty had greater likelihood for subclinical or evident hypothyroidism. The likelihood of suffering from at
least one endocrine complication was higher in older children (p=0.042) and those with Syrian nationality
(p=0.025)
Conclusion: Disorders of endocrine and metabolic nature are common in children with BTM. Early detection
and protocol-based multidisciplinary management of these disorders constitute the most suitable strategies to
increase patients' quality of life. Surveillance, early detection and treatment, and collaborative follow-up with a
multidisciplinary team are the key points in the reduction of the severity and frequency of endocrine complications as well as optimization of therapeutic outcomes.