Zinc Status in Beta Thalassemia Major Patients

Beta thalassemia is a common monogenic hereditary hemoglobinopathy which is associated with compound complications. Zinc deficiency, which is commonly observed in thalassemia patients, is also associated with multiple health complications. The objective of this study was to determine the zinc status and its effect on the growth and immune functions of young beta thalassemia major patients. The study included 40 patients in comparison with age- and sex-matched 30 healthy individuals as controls. The patients were interviewed for socio-demographic variables, and their medical histories were obtained from the hospital files. Serum concentrations of zinc and ferritin, height, and body mass indices (BMI) were calculated. Mean serum zinc level in beta thalassemia major patients was 44.7 ± 24.2 μg/dl whereas in the control group it was 63.3 ± 30.3μg/dl. The mean serum zinc level is significantly low in beta thalassemia major patients with respect to the control group. The gender, age, duration of blood transfusion, blood transfusion volume, mean pretransfusion hemoglobin concentration, deferasirox dose, and serum ferritin level bear no relationship with serum zinc level of the beta thalassemia major patients. Zinc level showed no significant correlation with z-scores of stature, sitting height index, BMI, and frequency of recent infections of patients. Although zinc deficiency is common in beta thalassemia major patients, it was found to have no significant effect on physical growth and frequency of infections. Further studies are recommended to investigate zinc status of beta thalassemia major patients.