Levels of non-transferrin-bound iron as an index of iron overload in patients with thalassaemia intermedia (original) (raw)

2009, British Journal of Haematology

Anaemia in patients with thalassaemia intermedia (TI) is typically mild and does not necessitate regular blood transfusion therapy until later in life. Nonetheless, patients remain prone to iron loading, primarily due to intestinal iron absorption and ineffective erythropoiesis (Origa et al, 2007; Taher et al, 2008), with the accumulation of approximately 2-5 g of iron per year, depending on the degree of bone marrow expansion and peripheral hemolysis (Origa et al, 2007). Patients with TI eventually develop complications of iron loading similar to those observed in thalassemia major (TM), including liver, heart and endocrine dysfunction (Origa et al, 2007; Taher et al, 2008). The most commonly used methods for evaluating iron overload include measurement of serum ferritin and liver iron concentration (LIC). Assessment of serum ferritin levels is convenient, non-invasive and widely used (Pakbaz et al, 2007), but is likely to underestimate the severity of iron load in patients with TI (