Calcium and phosphorus serum levels in thalassemic patients with convulsion history, Bandar Abbas, Iran

Introduction: Thalassemia is an important disease in East Mediterranean area and especially in Iran. The disease is more prevalent in Hormozgan province (South of Iran) than other parts of the country. Thalassemia has several complications including convulsion. In thalassemia patients, hypocalcaemia was correlated with hypoparathyroidism and is accompanied with convulsions. This study’s aim was to determine the serum levels of calcium and phosphorus in thalassemic patients with a prior history of convulsion. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 607 major thalassemia, thalassemia intermidia and sickle thalassemia patients referred to thalassemia center of Bandar Abbas were sorted according to type of thalassemia, demographic data, presentation, and convulsion history. Level of calcium and phosphorus were detected with standard lab analysis methods. Fisher exact test and Chi-Square test were used to analyze the data. Results: According to our findings, among 607 identified cases aged 12.2±6.6 years, 46.1 percent (280 cases) were female and 53.9 percent (327 cases) were male. Prevalence of hypocalcaemia was 26.5% (95% CI, 23.1%-30.3%), prevalence of hyperphosphatemia was 37.4% and the prevalence of convulsion history was 9.9%. In spite of hypocalcaemia being more prevalent in thalassemia patients with convulsion, there was no significant difference between hypocalcemia in patients with prior history of convulsion and patients without convulsion. Conclusion: This study shows indirect relation between prevalence of hypocalcaemia and hyperphosphatemia in thalassemic patients with or without convulsion and direct correlation between severity of thalassemic and convulsion history.