The effect of gonadal status on body composition and bone mineral density in transfusion-dependent thalassemia

Summary Patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia have abnormal growth, hormonal deficits, and increased bone loss. We investigated the relationship between skeletal muscle mass, fat mass, and bone mineral density in adult subjects with transfusion-dependent thalassemia based on their gonadal status. Our findings show that hypogonadism attenuates the strength of the muscle–bone relationship in males but strengthens the positive correlation of skeletal muscle mass and fat mass in female subjects.