Diabetes Mellitus and Impaired Glucose Tolerance in ?-Thalassaemia Major Patients with Secondary Haemchromatosis: Frequency and their Associations from a Developing Country

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: Diabetes mellitus is well-known endocrine complication of beta thalassaemia major patients. This study aims to determine the frequency of diabetes mellitus in BTM patients and to examine its association with age, height, weight, number of transfusions, serum Ferritin and total duration of blood transfusion. Methods: Fasting blood samples of BTM patients were analyzed for plasma glucose level by glucose oxidase method. Plasma fasting glucose level ? 126mg/dl on two occasions was considered as diabetes mellitus. Patients with fasting plasma glucose levels ranged from 100 to 125mg/dl were assessed further by oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Results: Of 188 patients, 151 (80.3%) were non-diabetic patients; frequency of diabetes mellitus and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) was found in 11 (5.8%) and 26 (13.8%) patients respectively. Higher age group (median age 12.5 years) (p-value < 0.001), frequency of transfusion (p-value < 0.001), total duration of blood transfusion (p-value 0.007) were found important risk factors. Conclusion: Our findings confirmed the importance of screening and monitoring of blood sugar levels in thalassaemic patients. However, it also provides an insight regarding its associations with higher age raised serum Ferritin and total duration of blood transfusions.