Serum visfatin level in β-thalassemia and its correlation with disease severity

Thalassemia is a group of genetic hematological conditions characterized by the defective synthesis of one or more hemoglobin chains. This genetic anomaly alters globin chain balance, causing hemolysis, ineffective erythropoiesis, and chronic inflammatory diseases. The proinflammatory adipocytokine visfatin is predominantly produced in visceral adipose tissue. Its evaluation in individuals with thalassemia may provide valuable insights into the assessment of disease severity. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential role of visfatin in the development of β-thalassemia and its association with the severity of the illness. The study included 40 patients with β-thalassemia and ten healthy individuals matched by age and sex. Serum visfatin level was measured using ELISA. We found that individuals with β-thalassemia major had significantly higher levels of serum visfatin than those with β-thalassemia minor and the control group (P < 0.001). A receiver operating characteristic curve revealed that serum visfatin levels were different in the three groups. Our results suggest that the serum level of visfatin is significantly correlated with the severity of β-thalassemia.