Background and Objective: Thalassemia is characterized by impaired synthesis of hemoglobin chains, leading to chronic anemia. Patients with thalassemia require blood transfusions for survival. Chronic blood transfusions lead to complications arising from iron deposition in various organs. Hypoparathyroidism is a complication of blood transfusion in patients with thalassemia. It has been observed that hypoparathyroidism is associated with psychological complications, including depression.
Materials & Methods: In this study, all patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia (TDT) who were referred to the Thalassemia Clinic of Bou-Ali Hospital in Sari City, Iran, in 2023 and met the inclusion criteria were enrolled. Depression and anxiety were assessed using the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS). The levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH), Vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus were recorded for all patients. The data were analyzed using Stata software, version 13 with t-tests, analysis of variance, and multiple regressions.
Results: Of the 204 patients examined, 107(52.5%) were female. The mean Vitamin D level was 33.40±10.12 ng/mL, and the mean PTH level was 28.46±9.71 ng/mL. The levels of Vitamin D, calcium, phosphorus, and PTH were not significantly correlated with anxiety (P=0.33, P=0.30, P=0.28, and P=0.21, respectively). Similarly, none of the four variables under consideration were significantly associated with depression (P=0.92, P=0.85, P=0.96, and P=0.77, respectively).
Conclusion: Despite previous studies indicating a correlation between PTH levels and depression, this study demonstrated no significant association between the mean serum levels of Vitamin D, calcium, phosphorus, and PTH with depression and anxiety in patients with TDT.
Type of Study:
Research |
Subject:
Psychology Received: 2024/06/6 | Accepted: 2024/08/26 | Published: 2024/10/1