Hepcidin Levels and Correlation with MRI and Laboratory Markers of Iron Overload in Thalassemia Patients

Abstract

Beta Thalassemia is a disorder of hemoglobin characterized by a quantitative defect in beta globin chain production, resulting in accumulation of unpaired alpha chains, leading to hemolytic anemia, ineffective erythropoiesis and iron overload. Iron overload is an important feature of beta thalassemia, as it mediates much of the morbidity and mortality of the disease. Deposition of iron in tissues causes many problems including liver cirrhosis, cardiac dysfunction mainly in the form of heart failure and arrhythmias, endocrinopathies due to deposition of iron in pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid glands, and other side effects. Currently, iron overload is assessed with laboratory markers such as serum ferritin and imaging studies such as MRI T2* on the liver and the heart. While these studies are important in the assessment of iron overload, they are not without their drawbacks. While serum ferritin is very valuable in providing an idea about total iron overload and in following trends of body iron (ie decreasing or increasing iro