Liver disease in adult transfusion‐dependent beta‐thalassaemic patients: investigating the role of iron overload and chronic HCV infection

Abstract

Background: Iron overload and hepatitis-C virus (HCV) infection, have been implicated in the evolution of liver disease, in patients with transfusiondependent beta-thalassaemia major (BTM). However, the impact of these factors in late stages of liver disease in adults with BTM, has not been extensively studied. Aims: To investigate serum indices of iron overload, HCV infection and liver disease, in a cohort of 211 adult Greek patients with BTM, in relation with the findings from liver biopsies. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 211 patients with BTM were enrolled and studied, in relation with HCV infection, ferritin, transaminases, chelation treatment and antiviral treatment. Based on 109 patients biopsied, we correlated liver fibrosis, haemosiderosis and inflammation, with serum indices and HCV status Results: Among all patients, 74.4% were anti-HCV positive (HCV+). Ferritin was positively correlated with transaminases and negatively correlated with age, while it was not significantly different among HCV+ and HCVÀ patients. Among the HCV+ patients, 55.4% reported antiviral treatment, while genotype 1 predominated. In a subfraction of 109 patients, in which liver biopsy was performed, 89% were HCV+ and 11% HCVÀ. Fibrosis was significantly correlated with age (P = 0.046), AST (P = 0.004), ALT (P = 0.044) and inflammation (P < 0.

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