Growth Impairment and Dental Caries in Thalassemia Major Patients Arora Manali, Junior Resident, Nayeemuddin SM, Junior Resident, Ghatak Surajit, Professor & Head, Singh Brijendra*, Additional Professor Department of Anatomy, AIIMS, Jodhpur *Corresponding Author: Brijendra Singh, Additional Professor, Department of Anatomy, AIIMS, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India-342005 E-mail:drbrijendrasingh@gmail.com
Online published on 21 March, 2015. Abstract Background The aim of present study was to determine whether beta-thalassemia major is associated with an increased risk of growth retardation and dental caries. Methods Anthropometric measurement were used to study the physical growth of 50 thalassemic patients and compared with 50 age-matched healthy controls from Jodhpur district of Rajasthan. DMFT and DMFS scores were also measured and compared with age-matched controls. Results Both thalassemic diseases of male and female patients were shown to have statistically significant lower height, weight, body mass index, mid arm circumference, chest circumference and head circumference (but not height and head circumference in age group 2-10years) as compared to normal patients with comparable sex and ages. A highly significant difference was observed when all anthropometric parameters of thalassemic males and healthy males were compared but a non-significant difference was seen between thalassemic females and healthy females of control group. Dental caries were significantly higher in thalassemics. Conclusion Thalassemia is associated with growth retardation and higher higher rates of dental caries. Top Keywords Thalassemia major, dental caries. Top |