Haptoglobin genotypes polymorphism as a risk factor for subclinical atherosclerosis in beta-thalassemia major children; a single center Egyptian study.

Background/Objectives Haptoglobin (Hp) is an antioxidant protein. Its genotypic polymorphism had been proposed to influence vascular complications among diabetics, but no data are available about this association among thalassemia patients so far. We have investigated the assumption of an association between Hp genotypes and subclinical atherosclerosis among beta-thalassemia major (TM) children.