Evaluation of Hepatic Iron Overload in Chinese Children With β-Thalassemia Major

Abstract

Patients with β-thalassemia major require long-term blood transfusions, resulting in hepatic iron overload. Thirty-five Chinese children with β-thalassemia major were recruited in the present studies. Hepatic iron overload was evaluated by histological grading. The relationships between hepatic iron overload and both serum biochemical markers and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination were studied. The majority of the patients showed high degrees of hepatic iron overload by histological study. The degree of hepatic iron overload was correlated with serum ferritin (r = .70, P < .01), hyaluronic acid (r = .58, P = .011), and type III precollagen (r = .55, P = .035). Moreover, hepatic iron overload showed a negative correlation with liver to muscle signal intensity ratio (r = -.44, P = .012), and a positive correlation with red marrow area percentage (r = .52, P < .01). These results indicated that hepatic iron overload might be assessed by serum biochemical markers and MRI examination.

Iron overload correlates with serum liver fibrotic markers and liver dysfunction: Potential new methods to predict iron overload‐related liver fibrosis in thalassemia patients

“…17 In addition, a correlation of iron overload with serum levels of HA and PIIINP was consistent with the finding from a previous study with small sample size. 17,18 However, no positive correlation of serum HA with SF and LIC was observed in earlier reports. 49,50 One of the potential explanations is that earlier studies included 20% and 68% of patients who were positive for hepatitis C viral RNA in which results demonstrated hepatitis C viral infection contributed to the increased serum fibrotic markers.…”

“…Some serum biomarkers including collagen type IV (C IV), precollagen type III (PIIINP), and hyaluronic acid (HA) have been used for the evaluation of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B, 10 chronic HCV 11–13 and alcoholic liver disease 14–16 . Two small pilot studies suggest that HA and PIIINP positively correlate with iron overload in Chinese thalassemia patients 17 , 18 . These findings raise an intriguing possibility that liver iron overload and liver function are likely correlated with serum markers of liver fibrosis.…”

Status of Superoxide dismutase in transfusion dependent thalassaemia

“…As in previous studies, the data reaffirmed that the excessive iron deposits will affect the clinical development, mainly growth and co-morbid complicating factors. [ 13 ] Iron deposits in metabolicorgans (such as the liver, pancreas, and spleen) may develop severe complications caused by disturbance mechanisms, including the immune system, oxidant-antioxidant regulation, and metabolism disruption.…”

Birth of children with severe β‐thalassemia at a tertiary obstetric hospital: what are the reasons behind it?

“…In mainland China, the cost is unaffordable for many families. Patients usually die from the complication of hemosiderosis in childhood or early adolescence …”

“…Patients usually die from the complication of hemosiderosis in childhood or early adolescence. 4 Screening of carriers and prenatal diagnosis are the most effective means to reduce disease incidence and lessen the burden on both the parents and the healthcare system. Since 1993, routine prenatal thalassemia screening using mean corpuscular volume (MCV) combined with hemoglobin analysis has been performed at our hospital.…”