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INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH FACTOR-1 (IGF1) IN CHILDREN WITH B. THALASSEMIA

Wahby N1, El-Sherbeiny M1, El-Beblawy N2, Abd El Aziz N3, Saad M1

1 Benha & 2Ain Shams Universities, 3National Center of Research, Egypt

 

Objective: The etiology of impaired growth patterns of thalassemic patients in different age groups

Methods: GH, IGF1, ALT, ferritin

Results: Polyransfused thalassemic patients grow normally until the age of 3-4 yrs when height deficiency occurs. The lowering of LGF1 (5.5±8.1ng/ml) in thalassemic aged (4.7±0.7 yrs) was statistically significant in comparison to controls (101.5±12.9 ng/ml) aged (4.4±0.6 yrs) Also IGF1 (101±41.3 ng/ml) in thalassemic aged (13.27±2.06 ng/ml) was significantly lower than controls (332±101.3 ng/ml) aged (13.2±2.04 yrs). In thalassemic patients a significant negative correlation was established between IGF1 and ferritin

Conclusion: Children with B-thalassemia have a defective GH- IGF1 axis that might be secondary to hemosiderosis of the pituitary or liver.