ISMJ

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Background: Endocrine dysfunction related to toxic side effects of iron overload, such as delayed puberty, short stature and hypogonadism present major problems in thalassemic patients. This study was aimed to assess the Leptin and Ghrelin serum levels in such cases. Methods: 50 normal subjects, 50 cases of -thalassemia major and also 50 pateints of thalassemia intermedia were randomly selected and leptin and Ghrelin serum levels were checked. Results: Mean leptin concentration was 2.62±1.2 g/L in patients with - thalassemia major, and 2.878±2.4 g/L in patients with thalassemia intermedia. These values appeared to be significantly lower than in controls (9.228±2.9) (p <0.001). Mean Ghrelin concentrations were 1042.192±275.9 pg/mL and 989.39±275.5 pg/mL in -thalassemia major and intermediate respectively. This value in thalassemia major appeared to be significantly higher compared with controls (876.96±384.3 pg/m) (P<0.01). There was positive relation between circulating leptin and body mass index in thalassemia major and intermediate. Leptin levels were lower in thalassemia major patients with short stature group compared with controls but there was not any correlation between ghrelin levels and short stature in different groups. Conclusion: These results suggest that one of the endocrinopathies affecting thalassemic patients is adipose tissue dysfunction and it seems that low leptin levels play a role in the endocrine dysfunctions in these patients. These findings should be confirmed in further studies.

Keywords: leptin, ghrelin, β thalassemia, short stature

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