Osmotic Fragility in Essential Hypertension Revisited: A Correlation with Iron Status and Lipid Profile

Abstract

Background: Essential hypertension is a major public health associated with increase pressure on the vascular walls and red blood cells (RBCs). In the present work, osmotic fragility (OF) of RBCs was reexamined in the means of its correlation with two risk factor; iron status and lipid profile. Experimental: OF, iron status parameters, and lipid profile components were measured in 60 patients and compared with the results of 30 controls. Results: The results showed a significant increase in all iron indices of hypertensive patients in comparing with healthy control group except TIBC, UIBC, and transferrin concentrations, which decrease in these patients in comparing with control group. Serum TGs, total cholesterol, VLDLc, and LDLc were increased while there is no significant in serum HDLc in patients to comparing with control group. There is no significant change in OF between patients and controls where p=0.173. The iron status parameters and lipid profile components were dependent on sex and smoking state. Hemoglobin and PCV were correlated significantly with total cholesterol and LDLc. Transferrin saturation showed a positive correlation with cholesterol, LDLc, and TGs, but negatively correlated with HDLc. No significant correlation between all the measured parameters and OF in HT patients. There is a significant correlation between serum ferritin and systolic BP and between Hb and systolic BP. Conclusion: No significant effect on the OF in HT patients. HT patients have elevated level of iron parameters in comparing with controls. OD has no correlation with iron status parameters or with lipid profile components.

Comparison of thyroid function tests between splenectomised and non-splenectomised β-thalassemia major patients

“…While the mean of serum FT4 was a significantly lower in thalassemic patients as compared with the controls (Table 1). These results might refer to the decline in the function of thyroid gland (as a result of thyroid damage from iron infiltration) and subsequent increase in the secretion of TSH from pituitary gland to compensate that reduction in thalassemic patients group 10 . The results of this study was in accordance with the results of other studies 11,12 .…”