Evaluation of Serum Leptin and Ferritin Levels in Children with Major Beta-Thalassemia

Abstract

Thalassemia is one of the most common inherited blood disorder characterized by decrease or absent synthesis of globin chains, there are two types of thalassemia, alpha and betathalassemia (1) . Beta-thalassemia results from a defect in production of beta globin chain due to mutations in the HBB gene on chromosome 11, inherited in an autosomal recessive fashion. Beta-thalassemia major is serious blood disorder since affected individual are unable to made healthy red blood cell and dependent on blood transfusion for survival. Children with beta thalassemia major appear healthy at birth, but during the first year or two of life become severely anemic and depends on frequent blood transfusions throughout the life (2,3) . Endocrine complication in major beta thalassemia occur due to excessive iron accumulation in endocrine glands that result from frequent blood transfusion and chelation therapy that caused dysfunction in their hypothalamicpituitary axis, leptin, an adipocyte derived hormone, primarily acts in hypothalamus, toxic effect of iron overload lead to decrease leptin