Bone health in pediatric transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia: Circulating osteoprotegerin and RANKL system.

Introduction: While the mechanism of bone disease in thalassemia is multifactorial and still under investigation, the receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B (RANK), receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand (RANKL), and osteoprotegerin (OPG) have pivotal roles in regulating bone metabolism. This study aimed to measure RANKL and OPG serum levels, and to detect the incidence of RANKL rs9533156, OPG rs2073618, and OPG rs2073617 genotypes in pediatric β-thalassemia patients and to assess their relation to bone mineral density.

Methods: Sixty patients with transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia (TBT) patients ages 5 to 14 years were included, and 60 healthy, age- and sex-matched volunteers contributed as a control group.