Association of Iron Overload with Oxidative Stress, Hepatic Damage and Dyslipidemia in Transfusion-Dependent β-Thalassemia/HbE Patients

Blood transfusion can be a life-saving therapy for β-thalassemia major and β-thalassemia/HbE (β-TM) patients with chronic anemia, major caused severe iron overload particularly in β-TM patients received only blood transfusion therapy. We aim to evaluate the association of iron overload with oxidative stress, liver damage, and elevated very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) in transfusion-dependent β-TM patients. Serum ferritin, malondialdehyde (MDA), liver profiles, triglycerides levels, and VLDL-C were significantly higher while total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol and total antioxidant capacity were lower in β-TM than controls. Serum ferritin was significantly correlated with MDA, liver enzymes and lipid profiles (p < 0.05). Multiple forward stepwise linear regression analyses of the significant variables showed that in these β-TM patients, independent predictors of iron overload were MDA (β = 0.410, r 2 = 0.671, p < 0.001), ALT (β = 0.493, r 2 = 0.578, p < 0.001), and VLDL-C (β = 0.253, r 2 = 0.711, p < 0.001). In conclusion, iron overload associated with increased oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, liver damage, decreased TC, LDL-C, HDL-C and over production of VLDL-C, is significantly problem in transfusion-dependent β-TM patients. These appeared the major cause of future morbidity and mortality in β-TM patients.