Immunological pattern in heterozygote beta thalassemic subjects.

In heterozygote beta-thalassemic subjects in a higher incidence of infectious diseases and of liver diseases with progression toward chronic hepatitis has been assessed. This predisposition has been suggested as being related to some immunological defects and to an altered immunological reactivity in thalassemia trait carriers. In order to evaluate whether there is a real deficiency of some humoral and cellular parameters in healthy heterozygote beta-thalassemic subjects, 128 symptom-free volunteers have been studied: 40 were heterozygote beta thalassemia carriers and 88 were normal subjects. In both groups there was no difference in: number and percentage of total lymphocytes, gamma globulins, immunoglobulins A and M, number and percentage of CD21, CD3, CD4, CD8, number of OKla*1, CD4/CD8 rations and lymphocytes' ability to respond to phytohemagglutinin. The values of immunoglobulins G and percentages of OKla*1 were found to be higher only in heterozygote beta thalassemic subjects; however, the number of CD2 in these subjects was lower. The result of the present study seems to indicate there is not significant difference between heterozygote beta thalassemic carriers and normal subjects in the more usual humoral and cellular immunological parameters.