Abstract

ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND:
β-thalassemia are inherited defects in the synthesis of B-globin portion of hemoglobin. The combination of transfusion and chelating therapy has dramatically extended the life expectancy of thalassemic patients.
OBJECTIVE:
This study is to determine the prevalence of diabetes mellitus and association of some factors with impaired glucose tolerance test in transfusion dependent β- thalassemia major.
PATIENTS AND METHODS:
A case-control study done on patients attending blood disease center in Ibn-Al-Balady hospital from 1st of July to 31st of October 2011. Data collected from 287 thalassemic patients (being attended the hospital for regular follow up and blood transfusion) and their relatives which included age, sex, height, weight, history of splenectomy, family history of DM, hepatitis B or C infection, serum ferritin level and an oral glucose tolerance test.
RESULTS:
It was found that 9.7% of β- thalassemic patients had impaired glucose tolerance test and 1.1% were diagnosed with diabetes, 32.7% were splenectomized, 38.3% had viral hepatitis infection, mean serum ferritin in those older than 20 years was 5923±1033µg/l and 16.8% had family history of diabetes.
CONCLUSION:
Increased serum ferritin concentration, splenectomy and viral hepatitis infection are associated with abnormal glucose tolerance in patients with blood transfused b-thalassemia. Aggressive iron-chelating therapy and prevention and treatment of viral hepatitis infection were warranted.