OXIDANT STRESS IN CHILDREN WITH THALASSEMIA

Abstract

Thalassemia are a heterogeneous group of genetic disorders of haemoglobin synthesis. All of which result from a reduced rate of production of one or more of globin chains of haemoglobin. Iron overload in thalassemla plays an important role in 1 oxidant stress. Oxidative stress is a general term used to describe a state of damage caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS} those (ROS) can be scavenged by what is called anti oxidants which delays or prevent oxidation of that substrate. They anatagonize the effect of free radicals by preventing their formation or by repairing the damage that they do. These antioxidants in biological system may be enzymatic as glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase or non enzymatic as vitamin A,E & C and glutathione. This study was conducted on 60 children, 20 were normal control group and 40 were polytransfused thalassemic patients. 4 Twenty one of patient~(21) were under iron chelation therapy and 19 were not under iron chelation therapy.

Both patients and controls were subjected to the following:• Medical history. Through clinical examination. Complete blood picture. Hb electrophoresis Serum iron and ferritine estimation