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Updated: Sep 25, 2025
Continuous Manual Exchange Transfusion for Patients with Sickle Cell Disease: An Efficient Method to Avoid Iron Overload
Published on: March 14, 2017
Pulmonary Function in Children With Transfusion-Dependent Thalassemia and Its Correlation With Iron Overload
Aditi Baruah1, Jonali Bhattacharjee2
1Department of Paediatrics, Assam Medical College and Hospital, Dibrugarh, Assam.
Objectives:
To assess the pulmonary function of children with transfusion-dependent thalassemia, and to correlate its pattern with serum iron status.
Methods:
Cross-sectional study done in the pediatrics department of a tertiary care hospital from June, 2018 to May, 2019. 66 children aged 5-18 years with b-thalassemia and HbE/b-thalassemia, admitted for blood transfusion, and with a history of minimum 20 transfusions, were enrolled. Estimation of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) and FEV1/FVC ratio by spirometer, estimation of serum ferritin and CRP, and chest X-rays were done in all the participants.
Results:
53 (80.3%) children had HbE/b-thalassemia, and 47 (71.2%) showed restrictive pulmonary dysfunction. The mean serum ferritin with impaired pulmonary function was 5616 (70.34) ng/mL and serum ferritin level had significant correlation with pulmonary function (P<0.001).
Conclusion:
Restrictive pattern of pulmonary dysfunction was common in children with thalassemia, and body iron status had a significant association with pulmonary impairment.
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