EVALUATION OF THYROID FUNCTION FOR CHILDREN TRANSFUSION-DEPENDENT THALASSEMIC PATIENTS IN ALMUTHANA CITY IN IRAQ

Abstract

An inherited hemoglobin problem is thalassemia. In Iraq, where it is seen as a health issue, thalassemia premarital testing is now required. The purpose of this study was to identify the incidence of hypothyroidism and its risk factors among transfusion-dependent individuals. Thalassemic patients were included in an across-sectional investigation that was done in 2021–2022. Thyroid function tests were performed on 61 adult (>14 years) patients, 30 cases, and 31 healthy controls. The initial tests comprised thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free T3, and free T4 levels. Except for two subclinical cases (6.7%), none of the participants in the case group had overt hypothyroidism, while there was no evidence of the condition in the control group. In comparison to the controls, Thalassemic patients are noticeably shorter and lighter (P 0.05). The case's typical hemoglobin level group (8.2) falls well below the typical cutoff threshold of 12 g/dl. The top limit for ferritin is 282ng/ml, whereas the mean ferritin level is 4262ng/ml. The high prevalence of hypothyroidism and associated disorders indicates that individuals are not receiving enough medical care. This emphasizes the need for Thalassemic patients to get close and ongoing monitoring.

Keywords: Thalassemia, thyroid function test ,Iraq