Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency of hypertriglyceridemia in beta thalassemia patients and to compare triglyceride values in beta-thalassemia major and beta thalassemia intermedia patients.
Methodology: A three-month prospective cross-sectional study from February 2024 to April 2024 was conducted at the Department of Pathology, P.I.M.S, in collaboration with Thalassemia Center. It included 100 thalassemic patients, comprising 55 Beta Thalassemia Major and 45 Beta Thalassemia Intermedia. Serum triglyceride levels were measured using Roche Chemistry Autoanalyzer after an overnight fast. Data analysis was done on SPSS.
Results: Hypertriglyceridemia prevalence was 26%, with 12% in β-TM and 14% in β-TI. Mean triglyceride levels were 135.0±52.6 mg/dl overall, 135.2±57.1 mg/dl in β-TM, and 134.71±47.2 mg/dl in β-TI (p=0.95). Among patients with hypertriglyceridemia, 6 (50%) of β-TM and 10 (71.4%) of β-TI had borderline high TG levels (150-199 mg/dl); while 6 (50%) of β-TM and 4 (28.5%) of β-TI had high TG levels (>500 mg/dl).
Conclusion: This study found a significant prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia in beta thalassemia major and intermedia patients, highlighting the need for timely diagnosis and tailored management strategies to address this important aspect of their health profile.

Key words: Thalassemia major, thalassemia intermedia, triglyceride, atherosclerosis, hypertriglyceridemia.