Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in beta-thalassemia major adult patients in Tanta University Hospitals

Introduction: one of long-term complications of Beta-thalassemia major (β-TM) disease is metabolic syndrome, which has a significant influence on patients' quality of life. Objective: to investigate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in β-thalassemia major patients in Tanta University Hospitals. Materials and methods: our study included two groups. Group I: consist of (100) adult beta-thalassemia major patients. Group II: consist of (100) sex and age matched healthy subjects as control group.  Results: the present study revealed that 29% of our β-thalassemia major patients had metabolic syndrome while in control group it was 2.0%, and low high-density lipoprotein (HDL)was the most frequent positive criterion it was 86.0% in β-thalassemia major patients' group. Prevalence of hyperglycemia, abdominal obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, and hypertension in patients with thalassemia was 29, 41, 21and 7%, respectively. Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in female patient was 34.3% while in male beta thalassemia major patient it was 18.2%. the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in well chelated beta thalassemia major patient was 0.0%, while in poorly chelated patients it was 35.4%. Conclusions: this study revealed that 29% of β-thalassemia major group patients had International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria of metabolic syndrome and low HDL was the most frequent positive criterion.