Iron overload in thalassaemic patients in Hong Kong

Body iron status, as measured by serum ferritin, was studied in 101 adult Chinese thalassaemic patients, 46 males and 55 females. Thirty of them had mild disease (beta thalassaemia trait), 56 disease of intermediate severity (haemoglobin H disease) and 15 severe disease (homozygous beta thalassaemia, Hb E-beta thalassaemia and delta beta-beta thalassaemia). The extent of iron overload correlated with the severity of disease. In severe thalassaemia, iron overload occurred early in life and was independent of multiple transfusions. While significant impairment of left ventricular function was present in only one of six patients studied, evidence of decreased pituitary (especially gonadotrophic) function was observed in six out of seven. Hypocalcaemia, probably due to hypoparathyroidism, was seen in one.