Thyroid stimulating hormone and leptin levels and severe growth retardation among beta - thalassemic patients

ABSTRACT

It has been proposed that Thyroid Stimulating Hormone [TSH] influences leptin secretion from adipocytes. We evaluated the association between TSH and leptin levels in thalassemic patients with growth retardation. Blood samples were collected from 30 major thalassemic patients and 24 normal subjects [range 12 - 20 y]. Both Leptin and TSH were measured by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay [ELISA] method. The anthropometric data were collected based on standard methods. Independent sample t-test and Pearson's correlation were used to analyze data. Patients had severe growth retardation. Mean concentration of leptin in thalassemic patients was significantly lower than normal subjects [2.26 +/- 2.61 vs 13.14 +/- 15.95 ng/ml]. The mean value of serum TSH concentration in beta - thalassemic patients was higher than normal subjects. But the difference was not statistically significant [P = 0.146]. There was no marked relationships between TSH and leptin concentrations in thalassemic patients [r= -0.022, P = 0.909] and in control group [r=0.289, P=0.214]. In both beta - thalassemic patients and normal group leptin secretion is not affected by TSH concentration