Thyroid stimulating hormone and leptin levels and severe growth retardation among β- thalassemic patients

Objective: it has been proposed that thyroid stimulating hormone (tsh) influences leptin secretion from adipocytes. we evaluated the association between tsh and leptin levels in thalassemic patients with growth retardation. methodology: blood samples were collected from 30 major thalassemic patients and 24 normal subjects (range: 12 -20 y). both leptin and tsh were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa) method. the anthropometric data were collected based on standard methods. independent sample t-test and pearson’s correlation were used to analyze data. results: patients had severe growth retardation. mean concentration of leptin in thalassemic patients was significantly lower than normal subjects (2.26±2.61 vs 13.14±15.95 ng/ml). the mean value of serum tsh concentration in β- thalassemic patients was higher than normal subjects. but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.146). there was no marked relationships between tsh and leptin concentrations in thalassemic patients (r= -0.022, p = 0.909) and in control group (r=0.289, p=0.214). conclusion: in both β- thalassemic patients and normal group leptin secretion is not affected by tsh concentration.