Evaluation of serum trace elements, lipids profile, ferritin and 8-hydroxydeoxyguansine levels in Yemeni patients with beta thalassemia major

Abstract

Beta-thalassemia is a group of frequent genetic disorders resulting in the synthesis of little or no β-globin chains. Beta Thalassemia Major (BTM) is the most common chronic hemolytic anemia among children and adolescents worldwide (Cassinerio et al., 2012) ,most prevalent in certain malariaprone parts of the world including Africa, all Mediterranean countries, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, and Southeast Asia (Modell and Darlison, 2008).Patients with BTM need repeated blood transfusions for survival due to severe anemia. Recurrent blood transfusions lead to accumulation of excess iron in the body tissues. Overload of iron is responsible for lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress by increased production of reactive oxygen species within the erythrocytes (Shazia et al., 2012). Many studies showed a fluctuation in the trace elements in BTM patients that led to many complications of disease. BTM is one of the important hemoglobinopathies in Yemen and with its clinical severity; it is considered a major health problem in Yemen. The prevalence of BTM among hereditary hemoglobinopathies patients in Yemen was reported to be 13% (8.6% for α-thalassemia and 4.4% for β-thalassemia traits) in Sana'a city (Al-Nood, 2009).