Association of Iron Overload with Oxidative Stress, Hepatic Damage and Dyslipidemia in Transfusion-Dependent β-Thalassemia/HbE Patients.

Blood transfusion can be a life-saving therapy for β-thalassemia major and β-thalassemia/HbE (β-TM) patients with chronic anemia, major caused severe iron overload particularly in β-TM patients received only blood transfusion therapy. We aim to evaluate the association of iron overload with oxidative stress, liver damage, and elevated very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) in transfusion-dependent β-TM patients. Serum ferritin, malondialdehyde (MDA), liver profiles, triglycerides levels, and VLDL-C were significantly higher while total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol and total antioxidant capacity were lower in β-TM than controls.

Association of iron overload and oxidative stress with insulin resistance in transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia major and beta-thalassemia/HbE patients.

Background: Beta-thalassemia causes a severe hemolytic anemia in patients necessitating frequent transfusions leading to iron overload and endocrine complications, especially diabetes mellitus. We tried to determine the change or effect on carbohydrate physiology and oxidation markers and the association of these markers in chronic transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia major and beta-thalassemia/HbE (beta-TM) patients.

Methods: Prospective study on 60 beta-TM patients, receiving only regular blood transfusions, and 20 healthy controls were enrolled for oral glucose tolerance test, fasting insulin, Homeostasis Model Assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), liver function test, iron overload, oxidative stress, and lipid profile at baseline.