Parathyroid function and bone metabolism in children with beta thalassaemia major: effects of sex steroid treatment.
OBJECTIVE
Data on parathyroid function in patients with homozygous beta-thalassaemia are discordant. Moreover, there is no report on the effects of sexual steroid treatment on bone metabolism in these patients.


METHODS
Serum parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcitonin (CT) and osteocalcin (GLA protein) levels were measured in 121 patients. Thirty-three prepubertal subjects were treated for six months with sexual steroids.


CONCLUSIONS
Primary hypoparathyroidism was present in 3.3% of the patients. Osteocalcin levels were found to be lower in thalassaemic subjects than in controls, whereas CT values were similar. No effects of sexual steroid administration on plasmatic levels of osteocalcin were observed.
Alagna
S
S
Istituti di Patologia Medica, Universitadi Sassari, Italy.
Masala
A
A
Gallisai
D
D
Ginanni
A
A
Burrai
C
C
Pinna
A
A
Rassu
S
S
Rovasio
P
P
Devilla
L
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D004966:Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007011:Hypoparathyroidism / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D015675:Osteocalcin / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D010280:Parathyroid Glands / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D011628:Puberty, Delayed / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D013739:Testosterone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*
D004966:Estrogens, Conjugated (USP); D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D015675:Osteocalcin; D013739:Testosterone; D002116:Calcitonin