NEOPTERIN AS A MARKER OF C HEPATITIS IN THALASSAEMIA MAJOR

: The authors studied serum neopterin in 106 patients with beta thalassaemia major. A good correlation was found between neopterin values and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) mean values of the last 6 months, whereas no correlation was found between neopterin values and some siderosis indexes (iron/body weight, total accumulated iron). A statistically significant correlation was found between neopterin values (greater than 10 nM/L vs. less than 10 nM/L) and histological liver findings (chronic hepatitis vs. siderosis). Neopterin values were also statistically different between splenectomized and not splenectomized patients. Moreover serum neopterin was higher in HCV-Ab positive than in HCV-Ab negative patients, and 91.6% of the HCV-Ab positive group also showed histological signs of chronic hepatitis. These data suggest that increased serum neopterin might help to identify chronic C hepatitis in thalassaemic patients.