ABSTRACT
Treatment of beta-thalassemia major patients consists of regular blood transfusions and iron chela tor [Desferrioxamine]. This has extended the life expectancy of thalassemic patients and it lets to different endocrine and metabolic complications. The objective of this study is to determine the serum concentrations of some biochemical parameters [parathyroid hormone [PTH], calcitonin and osteocalcin] related to endocrine complications in beta-thalassemia major patients. 215 patients and 80 age- matched controls [6-41 years] entered the study. Hematological data were measured, and the levels of calcium and phosphate were determined. N-MID osteocalcin, intact PTH and calcitonin were determined in serum blood. Student's test was used to evaluate the differences between patient and control groups and P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Serum concentrations of PTH and N-MID osteocalcin were significantly [P=0.0007 and P=0.0017 respectively] lower in patients than controls. PTH serum levels were clearly under normal range in 11.16% of patients. However, calcium and calcitonin concentrations in patients were not significantly [P=0.101 and P=0.26 respectively] different from those in controls. Our finding are in agreement with other studies and suggest that hypoparathyroidism is one of the endocrine complications, which occurred in beta-thalassemia major patients who undergo blood transfusion regimens. More prospective studies are important to determine the prevalence of other endocrinopathies changes among thalassemic patients due to mixture of reasons other than iron overloads, with much improved regime of therapy