MENA 2024 Recordings-Endocrinopathies in Thallasemia Patients

Endocrinopathies in Thallasemia Patients - Dr. Salman Kirmani

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The talk focuses on the challenges of managing thalassemia, particularly in the MENA region and Pakistan, where there is a high carrier rate and poor monitoring resources for iron overload. The speaker explains how thalassemia affects endocrine glands, leading to widespread endocrinopathy. Iron overload, anemia, and liver disease create a complex medical scenario worsened by repeated blood transfusions, which can bring infectious diseases. Key concerns for patients with thalassemia include growth failure, bone disease, hypogonadism, and diabetes, with varying prevalence and severity. The speaker emphasizes the importance of early prevention and diligent monitoring to mitigate these issues, as well as the limited resources available in Pakistan that make care difficult. They provide recommendations for different endocrine complications and highlight available guidelines from organizations like the Thalassemia International Foundation to aid in patient care. The importance of aggressive chelation therapy is underscored as a preventive measure to improve patient outcomes.

Keywords

thalassemia

iron overload

endocrinopathy

Pakistan

chelation therapy

Thalassemia International Foundation