{"title":"Iron overload and liver function in patients with beta thalassemia major: A cross sectional study.","authors":"Amna Faruqi, Tooba Zafar, Sikander Subuctageen, Irfan Afzal Mughal","doi":"10.12669/pjms.40.9.8961","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>In thalassemia major, repeated blood transfusions result in iron overload causing organ damage. The objective of this study was assessment of liver enzymes in patients with Thalassemia major and to observe their association with ferritin.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A cross-sectional study was performed, at Islamabad Medical and Dental College and its affiliated Akbar Niazi Teaching Hospital from November 2021 till August 2022. Serum ferritin, AST, ALT, and total bilirubin levels were determined, in 135 patients of beta thalassemia major receiving transfusions. Data analysis was performed using SPSS Version 20. For categorical variables, calculation of frequencies and percentages was performed. Mean (± standard deviation) was determined for quantitative variables. ANOVA with post hoc Tukey's test was used for determining association between liver enzymes and serum ferritin. A p-value of <0.05 was considered significant. The correlation between ferritin and LFTs was determined by Pearson's correlation coefficient.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Patients had an age range of 7-30 years, and males constituted 51% of sample. Mean level of ferritin was 6062.61 + 3641.79 ng/ml, with an insignificant difference between the genders (<i>p</i> =0.366). The levels of AST, ALT and bilirubin were perceived to show a significant increase in patients with ferritin levels >5000ng/ml, when compared with patients having ferritin levels < 2,500 ng/ml. A significant positive correlation of increasing serum ferritin levels was observed with ALT (r= 0.682), to a lesser extent with AST (r = 0.532), and only a weak correlation with serum bilirubin (r = 0.350).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Liver damage was caused by increased iron deposition. LFTs should be performed regularly to detect and reduce liver damage by increasing chelation therapy, thereby reducing morbidity and mortality due to thalassemia.</p>","PeriodicalId":19958,"journal":{"name":"Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences","volume":"40 9","pages":"2000-2004"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2000,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11476128/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.9.8961","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"MEDICINE, GENERAL & INTERNAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objective: In thalassemia major, repeated blood transfusions result in iron overload causing organ damage. The objective of this study was assessment of liver enzymes in patients with Thalassemia major and to observe their association with ferritin.
Method: A cross-sectional study was performed, at Islamabad Medical and Dental College and its affiliated Akbar Niazi Teaching Hospital from November 2021 till August 2022. Serum ferritin, AST, ALT, and total bilirubin levels were determined, in 135 patients of beta thalassemia major receiving transfusions. Data analysis was performed using SPSS Version 20. For categorical variables, calculation of frequencies and percentages was performed. Mean (± standard deviation) was determined for quantitative variables. ANOVA with post hoc Tukey's test was used for determining association between liver enzymes and serum ferritin. A p-value of <0.05 was considered significant. The correlation between ferritin and LFTs was determined by Pearson's correlation coefficient.
Results: Patients had an age range of 7-30 years, and males constituted 51% of sample. Mean level of ferritin was 6062.61 + 3641.79 ng/ml, with an insignificant difference between the genders (p =0.366). The levels of AST, ALT and bilirubin were perceived to show a significant increase in patients with ferritin levels >5000ng/ml, when compared with patients having ferritin levels < 2,500 ng/ml. A significant positive correlation of increasing serum ferritin levels was observed with ALT (r= 0.682), to a lesser extent with AST (r = 0.532), and only a weak correlation with serum bilirubin (r = 0.350).
Conclusion: Liver damage was caused by increased iron deposition. LFTs should be performed regularly to detect and reduce liver damage by increasing chelation therapy, thereby reducing morbidity and mortality due to thalassemia.
期刊介绍:
It is a peer reviewed medical journal published regularly since 1984. It was previously known as quarterly "SPECIALIST" till December 31st 1999. It publishes original research articles, review articles, current practices, short communications & case reports. It attracts manuscripts not only from within Pakistan but also from over fifty countries from abroad.
Copies of PJMS are sent to all the import medical libraries all over Pakistan and overseas particularly in South East Asia and Asia Pacific besides WHO EMRO Region countries. Eminent members of the medical profession at home and abroad regularly contribute their write-ups, manuscripts in our publications. We pursue an independent editorial policy, which allows an opportunity to the healthcare professionals to express their views without any fear or favour. That is why many opinion makers among the medical and pharmaceutical profession use this publication to communicate their viewpoint.