Tarinee Thareepern, MD¹ , Surakarn Jansutjawan, MD²

Background: Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder. It affects the synthesis of globin chains within red blood cells, leading to anemia. The manifestations range from non-transfusion-dependent to transfusion-dependent thalassemia (TDT), the latter requiring regular blood transfusions for survival. Iron overload due to frequent transfusions can result in various complications, including hypothyroidism.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of hypothyroidism in TDT patients and explore its relationship with serum ferritin levels.

Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital between October 2022 and December 2023. Thalassemic patients receiving regular blood transfusions every 2-8 weeks for at least 2 years were enrolled, and demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected.

Results: Of the 52 eligible patients, the median age was 13 years (range 2 to 59 years). The most prevalent genotype was beta-thalassemia/HbE (69.2%). The mean pre-transfusion hemoglobin was 7.5 g/dL, and the median serum ferritin level was 1,657 ng/mL. Subclinical hypothyroidism was identified in 11.5%. While a longer duration of transfusion was significantly associated with subclinical hypothyroidism, no significant association was found between serum ferritin levels and hypothyroidism.

Conclusion: The present study emphasizes the importance of regular thyroid function evaluations in TDT patients with a long duration of transfusion.

Received 10 July 2024 | Revised 22 April 2026 | Accepted 6 May 2026

J Med Assoc Thai 2026;109(6):499-504

DOI: 10.35755/jmedassocthai.2026.6.00993