SUN-058 Endocrine and Metabolic Complications in 16 Taiwanese Patients with Thalassaemia Major

Backgrounds: Endocrine and metabolic abnormalities are quite common in patients with thalassaemia major, attributable, at least in part, to chronic iron overload. Endocrine and metabolic abnormalities are quite common in patients with thalassaemia major. Determining the prevalence of endocrine complications is difficult because of differences in the age of first exposure to chelation therapy, and the continuing improvement in survival in well-chelated patients.Patients and Methods: We performed a retrospective study of endocrine and metabolic data of 16 Taiwanese children (10 females and 6 males, 21.42±4.82 years) who attended in our patient clinics from Oct 2002 to Jan 2012. We analyzed height, weight, BMI, serum fasting glucose, thyroid function, growth hormone, adrenal, and gonadal functions. Results:These patients had very high serum ferritin levels with 4737.79±4572.03 ng/ml (482.8-12639). Auxological data show growth retardation (height SDS -1.05±1.34, weight SDS -0.67±0.52, BMI -0.37±0.49). Endocrine data reveal hypogonadism (n = 11, 69%), hypothyroidism (n=8, 50%), growth hormone deficiency (n=3, 19%), and adrenal insufficiency (n=3, 19%). Metabolic data show impaired fasting glucose (n=4, 25%) and diabetes (n=6, 37%). Conclusions: Patients with thalassemia major are at risk for a number of endocrine (growth hormone deficiency, hypothyroidism, adrenal insufficiency and hypogonadism) and metabolic problems (impaired fasting glucose and diabetes). It is necessary for endocrinologists to become skilled in these complications and provide long-term comprehensive care through the life of these patients.