Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0039730 (thalassemia)
 10,305 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Seventy-two transfusion-dependent iron loaded thalassemia patients were investigated for thyroid dysfunction by estimating circulating thyroid hormones (T4 and T3) and basal thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). They were also evaluated for their liver function (biochemically) and iron overload by estimating serum ferritin. Thyroid failure (hypothyroidism) was documented in 14 patients (19.4%). In all, 3 groups were seen, i.e. Group 1: Normal T4, T3, TSH (58 patients: 80.6%); Group 2: Compensated hypothyroidism characterized by normal T4, T3 and raised TSH (9 patients: 12.5%); Group 3: Decompensated hypothyroidism characterized by decreased T4 and increased TSH (5 patients: 6.9%). Interestingly, impaired thyroid function could not be correlated with age, amount of blood transfused, liver dysfunction or degree of iron overload. It is postulated that an inter-play between chronic hypoxia, liver dysfunction and iron overload may be responsible for the thyroid damage.
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PMID:Thyroid dysfunction in multi-transfused iron loaded thalassemia patients. 145 22

Thyroid and pituitary function tests using hypothalamic releasing factors were performed in seven patients with thalassaemia and secondary haemosiderosis and in a control group of seven healthy subjects. The TSH level in the thalassaemic patients (18.07 +/- 1.10 microU/ml) was higher than in the controls (1.01 +/- 0.14 microU/ml, P less than 0.001). After TRH administration the TSH values increased less than in controls. Serum thyroxine and FT41 values were lower in the group of patients with thalassaemia (76.7 +/- 7.8 nmol/l and 19.3 +/- 2.2) compared to the controls (116.1 +/- 6.9 nmol/l, P less than 0.005 and 38.6 +/- 3.6, P less than 0.001). The basal prolactin values did not differ significantly between the two groups, but after TRH administration the increment was significantly lower in thalassaemics than in controls (P less than 0.005). The basal LH values were lower in the thalassaemic patients (1.37 +/- 0.24 ng/ml) than in the controls (3.23 +/- 0.50 ng/ml) and did not increase significantly after LHRH administration. The FSH values were also lower in the thalassaemic group (0.46 +/- 0.15 ng/ml) compared to the controls (2.06 +/- 0.08 ng/ml, P less than 0.001), and increased only slightly after LHRH administration. We conclude that in thalassaemia pituitary deficiency exists, mostly of gonadotrophs, but possibly also for the thyrotrophs and the lactotrophs. Latent primary hypothyroidism has also been found in the thalassaemic group. The functional abnormalities found in both endocrine glands are best explained as a consequence of coexisting haemosiderosis.
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PMID:Pituitary and thyroid insufficiency in thalassaemic haemosiderosis. 642 75

Thyroid function was evaluated in 20 patients aged 8-30 years who were suffering from homozygous beta-thalassaemia. All patients have been receiving frequent blood transfusions and treated for the resulting transfusional iron overload with intramuscular injections of Desferrioxamine. Total thyroxine (T4), T3-uptake, total triiodothyronine (T3), and reverse triiodothyronine (rT3) were measured. In addition a standard TRH stimulation test was performed and blood samples were checked for the presence of thyroid antibodies. It was found that total T4 was significantly lower in the patients than in the controls. Total T3 and rT3 levels were similar in both patients and controls and all patients were negative for thyroid antibodies. T3 uptake in the patients was also statistically different from the controls resulting in significantly lower free thyroxine index (FT1). Basal TSH values were not different from the controls but the TSH increase following TRH stimulation was significantly higher in the patients suggesting, together with the low total T4 and FTI, a state of compensated hypothyroidism.
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PMID:Thyroid function in patients with homozygous beta-thalassaemia. 642 76

Thyroid function was investigated by a TRH test in 24 clinically prepubertal children, 3-15 years old with beta-thalassaemia major; in 7 of them the test was repeated once and in 2 twice at intervals of at least 12 months. Basal T4, T3, TBG and TSH levels and the TSH levels during a TRH test were determined and correlated with age and serum ferritin levels. Basal serum T4, T3 and TBG levels were lower and serum TSH levels were higher during the test and in the basal state in thalassaemia major children than in control children. These results show a compensated sub-clinical primary hypothyroidism. The transversal study did not show any significant correlation between the hormonal parameters studied and chronological age or serum ferritin levels. In contrast, the longitudinal study showed a significant correlation between pituitary-thyroidal axis function and siderosis (positive correlations between the variations of TSH levels as delta, peak, 30 and 45 min values and the variations of serum ferritin levels). The thyroid impairment seems not to be correlated with serum ferritin levels in the transversal study because of the presence of an individual different sensitivity of the gland to the iron overload. The ferritin dependence of this impairment is shown only by longitudinal studies where individual differences in sensitivity of the gland are absent.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Endocrine involvement in children with beta-thalassaemia major. Transverse and longitudinal studies. I. Pituitary-thyroidal axis function and its correlation with serum ferritin levels. 643 70

Thyroid function has been evaluated in 6 prepubertal male and 9 female thalassemic patients. Four of the latter were sexually immature (Group I), with very low estradiol levels and the remainder had more advanced sexual development (Group II). Subjects were challenged with TRH and the response compared to adult controls and a group of 15 males aged 13-18 years with constitutional delayed adolescence. All patient groups and controls had normal levels of T4, T3 and T3 resin uptake. When compared to adult controls or males with constitutional delayed adolescence, the male thalassemic patients had increased basal TSH levels with an exaggerated response to TRH. Long term testosterone enanthate led to a decrease in integrated TSH secretion, showing that androgens may decrease the TSH response to TRH. The more sexually mature females of Group II also had increased basal and stimulated TSH levels; however, the sexually immature females of Group I had basal TSH and TSH responses to TRH equivalent to female controls. In Group I patients there were, moreover, no changes in TSH response during administration of estradiol valearate for 3 months and conjugated estrogens for 8 months. The high basal and stimulated TSH levels in the males and Group II females are most likely due to subclinical primary hypothyroidism. This has been previously described in thalassemia. On the other hand, failure of estrogens to increase the TSH response to TRH in Group I females is evidence of pituitary involvement, which is also well documented in this clinical condition.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:TSH secretion in thalassemia. 643 71

Twenty-one Thai patients with beta-thalassemia/haemoglobin E and haemoglobin H diseases, 8-20-years-old, were studied. These patients had receive none or minimal blood transfusion. The important clinical endocrine abnormalities were growth retardation and sexual immaturity. GH secretion was found to be impaired in the majority of patients. Oral GTT showed chemical diabetes in one out of sixteen tests, a much lower incidence than in thalassaemic patients treated by hypertransfusion in the West. The mean insulin levels basally and after glucose loading were lower than those of the normal controls. Thyroid function was normal in all of the patients. Serum cortisol and 24-h urinary oxogenic steroids 917 OGS) levels were normal, as was adrenal cortical reserve in all the patients. The literature on endocrine function in in thalassaemia is reviewed.
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PMID:Endocrine function in thalassaemia. 726 14

Despite improved hematologic care, multiendocrine dysfunction is a common complication of homozygous transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia. In this study our goal was to estimate the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in a large homogenous group of thalassemic patients. Two hundred patients with beta-thalassemia major (100 males and 100 females; mean age, 23.2 +/- 6.7 years; age range 11-43 years), regularly transfused and desferioxamine chelated, were randomly selected from a pool of approximately 800 patients with beta-thalassemia followed in our department. Thyroid function and iron-load status were evaluated by measurements of free thyroxine (FT4), free triiodothyronine (FT3), thyrotropin (TSH), and serum ferritin levels. Of the subgroup of patients who proved to have normal thyroid hormone values, 26 (12 males, 14 females; mean age, 23.6 +/- 6.8 years; age range, 15-36 years) were randomly selected and underwent a standard TRH stimulation test. Thyroid dysfunction was defined as follows: overt hypothyroidism: low FT4 and/or FT3, increased TSH levels; subclinical hypothyroidism: normal FT4, FT3, increased TSH levels; exaggerated TSH response: normal FT4, FT3, normal basal TSH, deltaTSH > or = 21 microIU/mL (TSH levels measured prior and 30 minutes after intravenous TRH administration). Normal thyroid hormone values were found in 167 (83.5%) of the 200 patients studied. Eight (4%) of the remaining patients had overt hypothyroidisim, and 25 (12.5%) had subclinical hypothyroidism. Exaggerated TSH response to TRH was revealed in 7 of the 26 patients with normal hormone values tested (26.9%). Antithyroglobulin and anti-thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibody titers were negative in 191 patients (95.5%). Mean ferritin levels in hypothyroid and euthyroid patients were 2707.66 +/- 1990.5 mg/L and 2902.9 +/- 1997.3 mg/L, respectively, (p = 0.61), indicating no correlation between ferritin levels and thyroid functional status. Mean ferritin levels in the patients who responded normally to TRH stimulation and in those who overresponded, were 2,586 +/- 1791 mg/L and 3,228 +/- 2473 mg/L, respectively (p = 0.46; NS). Thyroid failure is a rather rare endocrine complication in patients with beta-thalassemic from Greece. In our series, no case of central hypothyroidism was observed. No correlation was found between thyroid functional status and ferritin plasma levels. Approximately 1 of 5 beta-thalassemic patients with normal thyroid hormone values showed an exaggerated TSH response to TRH test. It is to be investigated how many of these patients will establish overt or subclinical hypothyroidism in the future.
Thyroid 2002 Feb
PMID:Assessment of thyroid function in two hundred patients with beta-thalassemia major. 1191 84

ABSTRACT : BACKGROUND : The combination of transfusion and chelation therapy has dramatically extended the life expectancy of thalassemic patients. The main objective of this study is to determine the prevalence of prominent thalassemia complications. METHODS : Two hundred twenty patients entered the study. Physicians collected demographic and anthropometric data and the history of therapies as well as menstrual histories. Patients have been examined to determine their pubertal status. Serum levels of 25(OH) D, calcium, phosphate, iPTH were measured. Thyroid function was assessed by T3, T4 and TSH. Zinc and copper in serum were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Bone mineral density (BMD) measurements at lumbar and femoral regions have been done using dual x-ray absorptiometry. The dietary calcium, zinc and copper intakes were estimated by food-frequency questionnaires. RESULTS : Short stature was seen in 39.3% of our patients. Hypogonadism was seen in 22.9% of boys and 12.2% of girls. Hypoparathyroidism and primary hypothyroidism was present in 7.6% and 7.7% of the patients. About 13 % of patients had more than one endocrine complication with mean serum ferritin of 1678 +/- 955 micrograms/lit. Prevalence of lumbar osteoporosis and osteopenia were 50.7% and 39.4%. Femoral osteoporosis and osteopenia were present in 10.8% and 36.9% of the patients. Lumbar BMD abnormalities were associated with duration of chelation therapy. Low serum zinc and copper was observed in 79.6% and 68% of the study population respectively. Serum zinc showed significant association with lumbar but not femoral BMD. In 37.2% of patients serum levels of 25(OH) D below 23 nmol/l were detected. CONCLUSION : High prevalence of complications among our thalassemics signifies the importance of more detailed studies along with therapeutic interventions.
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PMID:Metabolic and endocrinologic complications in beta-thalassemia major: a multicenter study in Tehran. 1291 70

Klinefelter's syndrome (KS) is associated with a wide spectrum of clinical features, such as tall stature, eunuchoid proportions, testes disproportionately small for the level of pubertal development, gynecomastia and behavioral problems. The association of KS with thalassemia intermedia has not been previously reported. A male patient with thalassemia intermedia was diagnosed with KS at the age of 14 years when endocrine evaluation for delayed puberty showed hypergonadotrophic hypogonadism. Thyroid function was normal; however, basal and GnRH-stimulated gonadotropin concentrations were raised while serum testosterone was low. Karyotype analysis revealed KS (47,XXY). Testosterone replacement therapy started soon after diagnosis and now at the age of 20 years the patient's height is 178.3 cm, the U/L ratio is 0.91. Testicular volume is 12 ml (Prader orchidometer) and his pubic hair is stage 4. To our knowledge this is the first case of a patient suffering from KS and thalassemia intermedia reported in the literature.
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PMID:A patient with Klinefelter's syndrome and thalassemia intermedia. 1584 76

Growth failure is one of the most common problems in children with thalassemia with multiple etiologies. We present a case of celiac disease, an underdiagnosed cause of growth failure in a child with beta-thalassemia major. A 10-year-old boy on a hypertransfusion regimen was referred for early onset growth failure. Serology for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV was negative. Serum zinc levels were normal. Thyroid function tests and growth hormone secretion, evaluated with clonidine stimulation test were normal. Malabsorption syndrome was suspected, even in the absence of gastrointestinal symptoms. Tissue transglutaminase were highly raised >300 IU/mL (normal values <15 U/L). Characteristic mucosal lesions on jejunal biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of celiac disease. Institution of a gluten-free diet resulted in rapid gain in weight and improvement in height velocity.
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PMID:Celiac disease in a child with beta-thalassemia major: a need for improved screening and awareness. 1913 78


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