Table 1.
Frequency of required tests during follow-up of TM patients with hypogonadism on HRT.
| Liver enzymes | Serum glucose | OGTT | Clotting factors | Lipids | Renal function | BMD | Pelvic ultrasound | Other tests | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cyprus | 3 months | 3 months | 12 months | 12 months | 12 months | 3 Months | 12 Months | 12 months | NR |
| Egypt | 3 months | 3 months | 12 months | when indicated | when indicated | 3 Months | Research basis | when indicated | FSH, LH and Estradiol |
| Egypt | NR | 6 months | nil | Nil | nil | Nil | Years | NR | NR |
| India | 3–6 months | 12 months | nil | Nil | 24 months | 12 Months | Nil | NR | NR |
| Italy | monthly | monthly | 24 months | 6 months | 3 months | monthly | 12–24 Months | 12 months | EcoCG ECG |
| Italy | 3 months | 6 months | 24–36 months | 12 months | 12 months | 6 Months | 24 Months | 12 months | NR |
| Italy | monthly | 2 months | 12 months | 6 months | 3 months | 12 Months | 12 Months | 12 months | Cardiac T2* |
| Italy | monthly | 3 months | 12–24 months | 6–12 months | 6–12 months | 6–12 Months | 12–24 Months | 12 months | Cardiac T2* HOMA-IR § A-US every 12 months |
| Italy | 2 months | 3 months | when indicated | 3 months | 3 months | 2 Months | 12–18 Months | 12 months | NR |
| Italy | 3 months | 3 months | 3 months | 3 months | 6 months | 3 Months | 12 Months | 12 months | NR |
| Italy | 6 months | 6 months | 24 months | 6 months | 12 months | 6 Months | 24 Months | 12 months | NR |
| Kingdom of Saudi Arabia | 3–4 months | 3–4 months | 12 months | 6 months | 12 months | 3–4 Months | 12 months | when indicated | Cardiac T2* if needed |
| Oman | 1–6 months | 6 months | 12 months | Nil | 12 months | 1–6 Months | 24–36 months | 12 months | FSH, LH, and estradiol. Liver T2* at least yearly, A-US yearly |
| Romania | 12 months | nil | 12 months | Nil | 12 months | 2 Months | 12 months | 12 months | NR |
| Turkey | 1–3 months | 3 months | 6 months | 12 months | 12 months | monthly | 12 months | when indicated | FSH, LH and Estradiol |
| Turkey | 3 months | 3 months | 12 months | 12 months | 12 months | 3 months | 12 months | 12 months | NR |
| UK | 2 months | 6 months | 12 months | 4 months | 6 months | 2 Months | 24–36 months | nil | NR |
Abbreviations. TM - thalassemia major; OGTT- Oral Glucose Tolerance Test; NR- Not reported; HOMA-IR Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance- § every 6–12 months; Abdominal A-US- abdominal ultrasound; EcoCG-Echocardiogram; ECG-Electrocardiogram; BMD -Bone Mineral Density