Thyroid, parathyroid, gonadal, and pancreatic beta-cell function after bone marrow transplantation with chemotherapy-only conditioning.
BACKGROUND
Radiation and cytotoxic chemotherapy can provoke short- and long-term endocrine dysfunction. We studied the prevalence of thyroid, parathyroid, gonadal, and pancreatic beta-cell function in patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation (BMT).


METHODS
Forty-six patients (12 women, 34 men), aged 1.5 to 49 years (mean, 15.1 years), were evaluated for thyroid, parathyroid, gonadal, and pancreatic beta-cell function before and 3, 6, and 12 months after BMT with a little busulfan-cyclophosphamide conditioning regimen.


RESULTS
Thyroid and parathyroid function was unaltered by BMT. Leydig cell function was normal in 11 adult men (G5P5) before and at 3, 6, and 12 months after BMT, but injury to the germinal epithelium (oligo- or azoospermia) was seen before and 12 months after BMT. There was no relationship between serum FSH and germinal epithelial injury. Maturation was normal in six boys (G2P2 or G3P3 at BMT) 12 months post-BMT. Primary hypogonadism was seen in four adult women (B5P5) after BMT. One 14-year-old girl continued to have regular menstrual periods during the 24 months after BMT. Another girl (P1B1 pre-BMT) developed ovarian failure 12 months post-BMT. Pancreatic beta-cell function was normal pre- and post-BMT in 12 thalassemic patients with serum ferritin > 1000 ng/mL.


CONCLUSIONS
BMT with chemotherapy-only conditioning seems primarily to affect gonadal function, without having any significant effect on thyroid, parathyroid, or pancreatic beta-cell function.
Ghavamzadeh
A
A
Haematology, Oncology and BMT Research Centre, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Fifth Floor, Doctor Shariati Hospital, North Kargar Avenue, Tehran 14114, Iran. emrc@sina.tums.ac.ir
Larijani
B
B
Jahani
M
M
Khoshniat
M
M
Bahar
B
B
Tabatabaei
O
O
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000502:physiology*; D007938:Leukemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery*; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D010053:Ovary / Q000502:physiology; D010280:Parathyroid Glands / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D013737:Testis / Q000502:physiology; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D013960:Thyroid Function Tests; D013997:Time Factors; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous