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Article Type

Original Study

Abstract

Objective The aim this study was to investigate the serum leptin level and its pathological correlations in children with chronic hemolytic anemia. Background Thalassemia syndromes are hemoglobin disorders that result from significantly reduced or absent synthesis of either α-globin or β-globin chains. This results in chronic hemolytic anemia with high serum ferritin level, which affects serum leptin level through the influence of peripheral adipocytes. Patients and methods This is a comparative observational cross-sectional study carried out on 52 children diagnosed as having β-thalassemia major and 35 healthy children as controls. Patients with thalassemia were recruited from Pediatric Hematology–Oncology Unit of Menoufia University Hospital during the period from May 2015 to June 2015. All patients were assessed by full history taking, thorough clinical examination, and laboratory investigations including complete blood count; serum ferritin level; serum leptin level; thyroid function tests comprising thyroid stimulating hormone, T3, and T4; and blood sugar level. Results Weight, height, BMI, hemoglobin%, red blood cell counts, platelet count, and hematocrit were significantly lower in thalassemia group. Serum blood glucose level was significantly higher in thalassemia group. Serum ferritin level showed highly significant higher values in thalassemia group. Serum leptin, T3, T4, and thyroid stimulating hormone showed highly significant lower values in thalassemia group. There was a significant difference between male and female sex regarding serum leptin level. There were significant linear regression coefficients for correlations between leptin level and BMI, T4 level, and serum ferritin level. Conclusion Serum leptin level is significantly lower in patients with β-thalassemia major than healthy controls. This is associated with a significant inverse correlation between serum leptin level and serum ferritin level. There is a significant correlation between serum leptin and BMI and thyroxin hormone. Leptin deficiency proved to be a cofactor in the development of endocrinological complications in patients with thalassemia major.

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