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Evaluation of some essential element levels in thalassemia major patients in Mosul district, Iraq
Abdulmunaim H Al-Samarrai1, Mohaisen H Adaay, Khudhair A Al-Tikriti
1Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Tikrit, Tikrit, Iraq.
Insights
Thalassemic children in Iraq showed altered essential element levels, with low zinc and magnesium, and high copper and potassium. These changes may link to disease complications.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Pediatric Hematology
- Environmental Health
Background:
- Thalassemia is a genetic blood disorder requiring regular transfusions.
- Essential elements play crucial roles in various bodily functions.
- Understanding elemental imbalances in thalassemia is vital for managing complications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess serum levels of essential elements in children with thalassemia.
- To compare elemental profiles between thalassemic patients and healthy controls.
- To explore potential correlations between elemental status and thalassemia complications.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 105 transfusion-dependent thalassemic children and 54 healthy controls in Mosul, Iraq.
- Serum levels of essential elements were measured.
- Statistical analysis included mean, standard deviation, correlation coefficient, and z-test.
Main Results:
- Thalassemic patients exhibited significantly lower serum zinc and magnesium levels.
- Elevated serum copper and potassium levels were observed in thalassemic children.
- Serum calcium, phosphate, and sodium levels remained within normal ranges.
Conclusions:
- Observed elemental fluctuations, including zinc deficiency and copper excess, are linked to thalassemia complications like hemolysis and hemochromatosis.
- Hypomagnesemia may be associated with hypoparathyroidism in these patients.
- Monitoring essential elements is important for managing thalassemia.
Objective:
To evaluate the levels of some essential elements in thalassemic patients in Mosul, Iraq.
Methods:
One hundred and five thalassemic blood transfusion dependent children, 2.5-18 years of age attending Ibn-Al-Atheer teaching hospital in Mosul City, Iraq, during 2005, were used in this study. Fifty-four healthy subjects served as a control group. Patients were allocated in a non-randomized prospective cross-sectional hospital based study. Essential elements levels were estimated. The mean, standard deviation, correlation coefficient, and z-test were used. P-values <0.05 were considered statistically significant.
Results:
Low serum zinc, and magnesium, and high serum copper, and potassium levels were found among the 105 thalassemic patients compared to the 54 controls. Levels of calcium, phosphate, and sodium were within normal limits.
Conclusion:
Fluctuations in the essential elements levels seem to be related to the different complications associated with the disease. Zinc deficiency may be attributed to hyperzincuria resulted from the release of Zn from hemolyzed red cells. Hypercupremia occurs in acute and chronic infections and hemochromatosis, which is a principal complication of thalassemia. Increased Na levels may be due to renal damage. Hypomagnesemia may occur due to hypoparathyroidism.