Authors : Kamal Mansi , Talal Aburjai , Moussa Barqawi and Hamzeh Naser
Abstract: The present study aims at evaluating the serum copper and zinc in Jordanian thalassaemic patients. Forty two patients (age from 4-14 years) with â-thalassemia major (20 males and 22 females) that undergo periodical blood transfusion and they are on Deferoxamine (DFO) as chelating agent were involved in this study. All patients were free from HBV, HCV and HIV. The diagnoses of â-thalassemia major were made based on the clinical, hematological and hemoglobin electrophoresis profiles for the patients. Hb electrophoresis for the father and mother and genetic study of the b globins genes in some disputable cases were also done. Forty controls of matched age and gender (20 males and 20 females) were also, included in the study. Results showed that the copper and zinc levels were significantly (p<0.05) increased in â-thalassaemic patients (189.92±73.7, 220.8±11.3 Ug dL-1, respectively) compared with controls (108.61±13.33, 105.30±12.01 Ug dL-1, respectively). The results revealed also that non-significant differences (p>0.05) appeared between males and females in the control and experimental groups concerning the level of copper and zinc. These finding may be explained by the decreasing rate of glomerular filtration of zinc seen in chronic hemolysis and the disturbance in the metabolism of zinc and copper in thalassaemic patients due to the increasing serum zinc. Moreover, the high level of copper could be explained by the increase in copper absorption via the gastrointestinal tract. But they prove clearly the unnecessary supplementaion of zinc for the regularly transfused thalassemic patients.
Kamal Mansi , Talal Aburjai , Moussa Barqawi and Hamzeh Naser , 2009. Copper and Zinc Status in Jordanian Patients with β-Thalassemia Major Treated with Deferoxamine. Research Journal of Biological Sciences, 4: 566-572.