ZINC STATUS IN PATIENTS WITH MAJOR Β-Thalassemia

Abstract

To determine the zinc status in patients with major beta-thalassemia and its effect on their growth, the authors studied 64 thalassemic patients in comparison with 64 healthy matched individuals. Demographic and anthropometric data and history of the therapies were collected. Serum zinc level in both groups and ferritin in the thalassemic group were assigned. Interestingly, mean serum zinc level was significantly higher in the thalassemic group. No significant correlation between serum zinc level and short stature, serum ferritin level, desferrioxamine dose, initiating time of blood transfusion, and chelation therapy was found. The study indicates zinc deficiency in thalassemic patients who are on regular blood transfusion is rare and it seems that routine zinc supplementation is not necessary.

Serum Zinc status in patients with haemoglobin-E ? thalassemia

“…The findings of the present study showed that the mean serum zinc level of Hb-E â thalassemia group was almost identical with 12 . Sharply contrasting with these findings in Egyptian study showed that there was significantly lower level of zinc in thalassemic population than that in the normal children where serum zinc level was 88.3±17.7 µg/dl vs. 113.5±15.4 µg/dl respectively 21 .…”

“…These findings are almost consistent with the findings of Rahman and Jamal 3 . However, Mehdizadeh et al 12 in a similar study reported a higher mean age in their study (164±69.6 months). The difference between Hb-E â thalassemia and control groups in terms of consanguinity of marriage was negligible (10% vs. 3%) and is staggeringly low compared with Shiraj's study conducted in Iranian population where >40% of patients of â thalassemia major had consanguinity of marriage 20 .…”

“…Sharply contrasting with these findings in Egyptian study showed that there was significantly lower level of zinc in thalassemic population than that in the normal children where serum zinc level was 88.3±17.7 µg/dl vs. 113.5±15.4 µg/dl respectively 21 . Al-Refaie et al 7 reported that zinc level in thalassemic children was 88.4±11.5 µg/dl, which was much lower than that of Iranian study 12 . Although different investigators showed different results (some with lower and some with higher serum zinc level in Hb-E â thalassemic children compared to the control group) our study did not show any significant difference between Hb-E â thalassemic and control group children in terms of serum level of zinc.…”

“…However, in other studies serum zinc level was not statistically different in thalassemic subjects compared with a control group and even Donma found higher values for hair zinc in patients with thalassemia 18 . As there have been some reports indicating positive effects of oral zinc supplementation on height velocity in children with definite zinc deficiency 12 , some thalassemic patients in our country receive zinc supplement, even though its necessity and efficacy are vague. Several studies have shown the status of zinc in Beta thalassemia major but no study specifically done on Hb-E â thalassemic patients.…”

“…Iron overload is the main reason for these disorders, but zinc deficiency has been suggested as a contributing factor in these patients. Trace minerals, especially zinc, are very important for human growth, puberty and immune system 12 . On the other hand, iron chelation therapy with desferrioxamine, which is necessary for major thalassemic patients, increases urinary excretion of zinc 13 .…”