Prevalence Of Diabetes Melltus Among Β-Thalassemia Major Patients In Al-Ramadi Teaching Hospital For Maternity And Children

Abstract

Thalassemia is an inherited (i.e., passed from parents to children through genes) blood disorder caused when the body doesn’t make enough of a protein called hemoglobin, an important part of red blood cells. Diabetes mellitus is a prevalent endocrine consequence in patients with β thalassemia major affecting 20-30%. Early detection of glucose dysregulation plays an important role in prevention of DM and is an area of considerable research interest for patients with β thalassemias. Aim of study: To survey the prevalence of diabetes mellitus and its some of possible related factors among children diagnosed with β thalassemia major. Methods: A retrospective cross sectional study conducted at Al-Ramadi Teaching Hospital for Maternity and children during a period of six months from 1^st of December 2022 to 1^st of June 2023. It included 200 patients. All of them were known cases of β-thalassemia major aged < 18 years and attended the hospital for serial follow up and blood transfusion.  Patients those who refused to make their children a part of this study were excluded from this study. Results: In this study, 30 patients were diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, with a prevalence of 15%. Diabetes mellitus was significantly higher among those  aged more than  14 years and those on irregular chelating therapy. Diabetic patients had significantly higher mean levels of ferritin than the non-diabetic patients. Also, they had been transfused with significantly higher blood volume per year when compared with the non-diabetic patients. Conclusion: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus is 15% in patients with β-thalassemia major . Diabetes occurs more frequently with patients aged 14 years and older , those on irregular chelating therapy, those with high s. ferritin level, and those with high blood transfused per year.

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