Correlation between serum leptin level and thyroid hormones in children with major beta-thalassemia 

BACKGROUND: Beta-thalassemia is the most common hematology disease in human and leptin is one of the hormone that produce by adiposities cells. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between serum leptin level and thyroid hormones in children with major beta-thalassemia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This descriptive-cross sectional study was performed on 90 children aged 6-16 years old with beta-thalassemia. Body Mass Index (BMI ) were meuseurd in all patients and then, after collecting the samples, leptin and thyroid hormones levels of the serum were measured in the patients with thalassemia via ELISA method. Then, all data was analyzed by Pearson correlation test, and x2 statistical tests and P < 0.05 was considered as a significant difference. RESULTS: The mean of body mass index and serum leptin level in the patients group was 16.58±2.43 and 1.521 ±2. 49, respectively. The mean serum levels of thyroxin (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), and thyroid- stimulating hormone (TSH) in patient's groups were7.94 ±3.56, 1.28 ± 0.46, and 2.85 ±3. 44, respectively. There was significant correlation between serum leptin levels and T4 in patients with major thalassemia; also there was no significant correlation between serum leptin level and T3and TSH. There was a significant correlation was between the leptin serum level and BMI in patients (P value=0.008). CONCLUSION: The results of this study demonstrated that in patients with major thalassemia, there was significant correlation between serum leptin level and thyroxin hormone. Leptin level has more relationship with thyroxin than thyroid- stimulating hormone.