Ferritin and Vitamin D levels and its relation to bone diseases in thalassemic adults: A hospital-based retrospective cohort study

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Thalassemia complications affecting different body systems, including osteoporosis and bone fracture. Although numerous studies are available in the literature, little is known about this subject in Saudi Arabia. OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to describe the characteristics of thalassemia patients in Madinah City, Saudi Arabia and to assess the prevalence of bone disease among them with an emphasis on Vitamin D and Ferritin level. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A hospital-based retrospective cohort study was designed. The study was carried out on 69 β thalassemia patients from King Fahd Hospital in Madinah, Saudi Arabia from 2015 to 2017. The study extracted patients' data related to their personal, clinical, laboratory, and complications. Data on DEXA scan were also obtained for 20 of the studied patients. The prevalence rate of bone fracture among the studied patients was calculated, and other collected data were tabulated in number and percentage for categorical variables and mean and standard deviation for quantitative variables. RESULTS: All the studied patients were of β thalassemia patients. Two-thirds of them were anemic (66.7%). The prevalence of bone fractures was 14.5% (95% confidence interval = 8.1–24.7), iron overload of >1000 was found in 62 patients (89.9%) and ferritin level of CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of bone fracture among thalassemia patients in Madinah City, Saudi Arabia was relatively high accounting for 14.5% of the studied patients. Low level of Vitamin D and high iron overload and ferritin level was prevalent among the studied patients. Further studies from multiple centers and cities are needed to more understanding of this important issue.