Iron-endocrine Pattern in Patients with β-Thalassaemia

Patients with β-thalassaemia (major, minor, and in association with sickle cell gene) frequently suffer from growth retardation and delayed sexual development. This is believed to be due, at least in part, to a direct effect of iron overload on the endocrine mechanisms of puberty. The role of iron overload remains speculative in relation to the disease severity and ethnic variations. This study determined the level of testosterone, cortisol, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), free thyroxine (T4), tri-iodothyronine (T3), growth hormone (GH), iron, ferritin, and haematological parameters in 44 β-thalassaemia patients (21 = β-thal. major, 23 β-thal minor), 25 Hb S/β°-thalassaemia patients, and 50 normal controls with age range 2-15 years