[Assessment of endogenous intoxication and thrombocyte functions in beta-thalassemia].

The parameters of humeral immunity and of the aggregation function of blood platelets were comparatively analyzed in 11 healthy and 26 children with beta-thalassemia; 18 of them had beta-thalassemia of the homozygous type (spleen was extracted in 8 children, and it remained intact in 10 children). It was demonstrated that there was an increased quantity of antibodies to blood platelets and an increased quantity of large, medium-size and small circulating immune complexes in patients with beta-thalassemia and especially in those, who did not undergo splenectomy; there was also an increased quantity of immunoglobulins of classes A, M, and G, a reduced total activity of the complement and a high parameter of the degree of endogenous intoxication, i.e. the content of medium-size molecular peptides. The mentioned disorders were accompanied by worsened aggregation abilities of blood platelets and by their increased disaggregation. Finally, insignificant changes were detected in patients with beta-thalassemia of the heterozygous type.