Ultrasonography of the pancreas, as a function index, in children with beta-thalassemia.

Increased echogenicity of the pancreas, due to hemosiderosis, is a frequent laboratory finding in children and adolescents with beta-thalassemia. The aim of this study was to investigate whether increased echogenicity of the pancreas is associated with dysfunction. The ultrasonic image of the pancreas was examined in 34 children aged 12+/-3.8 years old and was compared to the endocrine and exocrine functioning of the gland. Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed with simultaneous measurement of insulin and serum trypsin. Twenty-six of the 34 patients (76.5%) presented increased echogenicity, while 8 (23.5%) had a normal ultrasonic pancreatic image. 77% of the patients with increased echogenicity had abnormal OGTT, 46%, with subnormal or increased insulin values, and 32.5% manifested low levels of trypsin. Among the patients with normal ultrasound, 25% had abnormal OGTT and 37.5% abnormal insulin values. Statistical analysis with Student's t-test revealed that patients with increased echogenicity had significantly higher glucose values on OGTT at 60: 7.6 +/- 1.8 mmol/l (137.3 +/- 33.7 mg/dl) as compared to the patients with normal ultrasound: 6.1 +/- 1.2 mmol/l (110.75 +/- 21.72 mg/dl) (p<0.05). Insulin values were significantly affected at 30, 60, and 90 min: 570+/-301, 332+/-156, 294+/-158 pmol/l (79.54 +/- 42, 46.4 +/- 21.8, 41.04 +/- 22 mU/l) respectively in patients with increased echogenicity in comparison to those with normal ultrasonographic image of the gland: 301 +/- 170, 192 +/- 52, 135 +/- 63 pmol/l (42 +/- 23.7, 26.85 +/- 7.36, 18.9 +/- 8.8 mU/l) (p<0.05). No statistical significance was observed between the two groups regarding trypsin levels, even though abnormal values were observed in more children with increased echogenicity than in patients with a normal ultrasound. The above findings confirm that increased echogenicity of the pancreas is associated with disturbance of its function. This simple imaging method could be used as a rough early index of detection of an increased risk for developing diabetes mellitus in patients with beta-thalassemia.