Evaluation of Reproductive Hormones in Patients with ?-Thalassemia Major in Misan Province, Iraq

Abstract

Assessment of serum ferritin, FSH, LH, estradiol, testosterone levels in β-thalassemia major patients. A total 50 (30 male and 20 female) children with β-thalassemia major patients with ages range 11-16 years and 50 age and sex matched healthy adolescents as control group were included in this study. The study subjects divided into 2 more subgroups: 11-13 years, and 14-16 years to measure mean serum ferritin, FSH, LH, testosterone, estradiol hormones. There was significant increase (P <0.05) in serum ferritin level in male and female patients as compared to control groups. Male patients have significant decreased (P<0.05)serum levels of FSH, LH, testosterone and estradiol, while female patients have non-significant (P >0.05) high serum FSH and testosterone levels, but LH, estradiol levels were non-significant (P>0.05) lowas compared to control. In age subgroup 11-13 years, male patients have significant (P<0.05) decreased reproductive hormones levels as compared to control, however in 14 -16 years subgroups serum FSH,LH and estradiol levels in male patients were significantly decreased as compared to control (P<0.05), whereas,hormones levels in female patients didn't show significant differences in comparison to female control in both age subgroups (P>0.05). Serum ferritin had an inverse correlation with serum FSH, LH, testosterone, estradiol hormones levels. Patients with β-thalassemia major have iron overload with inverse correlation between gonadal hormones and serum ferritin.

Prevalence of hypogonadism in transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia patients of Bangladesh: investigating the role of serum ferritin level as a diagnostic tool

“… 5 However, it leads to iron overload, which is accumulated within different tissues, including endocrine glands, resulting in a functional imbalance, among which gonadal dysfunction is the most common. 6 , 7 In addition to the iron overload, factors, such as ferritin level, genotype, transfusion frequency, starting age and iron chelation efficiency, also play a significant role. 8 Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, or secondary hypogonadism resulting from iron deposition in the pituitary gonadotrope, is more commonly found, whereas gonadal iron deposition in ovaries or testes occurs less frequently.…”