Hypoparathyroidism in Transfusion-Dependent Patients with β-Thalassemia
Resource
JOURNAL OF PEDIATRIC HEMATOLOGY/ONCOLOGY v.24 n.4 pp.291-293
Journal
JOURNAL OF PEDIATRIC HEMATOLOGY/ONCOLOGY
Journal Volume
v.24
Journal Issue
n.4
Pages
291-293
Date Issued
2002
Date
2002
Author(s)
CHEN, JIMMY PENG-SHENG
LIN, KAI-HSIN
Abstract
Purpose: To determine the prevalence of hypoparathyroidism in transfusion -dependent patients with β-thalassemia. Patients and Methods: A total of 28 transfusion-dependent patients with β-thalassemia were interviewed, and their serum calcium, phosphate, magnesium, and intact parathyroid hormone levels were checked. Serum ferritin levels were measured to monitor the effect of chelation therapy. Blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, total protein, and albumin were measured in patients with undetectable or low intact parathyroid hormone levels. Results: The prevalence of hypoparathyoidism was 10.7% (3/28). Mean age at diagnosis was 18 years. The serum ferritin levels of patients with hypoparathyroidism were 1,032, 2,102, and 7,680μg/L. Only one patient had clinical symptoms of hypocalcemia. All three of the patients with hypoparathyroidism had hypogonadism, and 66.7% (2/3) of the patients had insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Conclusions: Hypoparathyroidism in transfusion- dependent patients with β-thalassemia seems to be accompanied by other endocrinopathies. Serum ferritin may not have been a reliable indicator of iron overload in the three patients with hypoparathyroidism. Severe iron overload would easily explain these multiple endocrinopathies. This pattern is commonly seen in iron-overloaded patients with thalassemia elsewhere.
Subjects
Chelation
Hypocalcemia
Hypoparathyroidism
Iron overload
Thalassemia
Transfusion
SDGs
Type
journal article