Assessment of T lymphocyte subsets in children with beta thalassemia major with iron overload

INTRODUCTION Beta thalassemia is hereditary blood disorder which is due to a defect in beta globin gene with excess of free alpha globin chains which become abnormal components in maturing red blood cells (RBCs) leading to destruction of RBCs by the spleen with subsequent anemia. Patients with beta-thalassemia major require regular blood transfusions to survive. The primary long term complication of chronic RBCs transfusions is iron overload with resultant parenchymal organ damage. Also there is increased incidence of infections as it reduces phagocytosis by neutrophils, reduces opsonization and increases bacterial activity. It also causes alterations in T-lymphocyte subsets, with modification of their distribution in different compartments of the immune system. The aim of this work is to study T lymphocyte subsets in children with betathalassemia major and their correlation to iron overload. METHODS After research ethical committee approval and informed written parental consent from all participants in this research, this study was carried out on 40 children with beta thalassemia major who were attendants to Hematology unit, Pediatric Department, Tanta university hospital. They were 24 males and 16 females with their ages ranging from 2.6 – 15 years and mean age of 9.22 + 3.9. Complete description of the patients is presented in table 1and 2. This was in addition to a control group of 20 healthy children including 11males and 9 females with their ages ranging from 2.2 – 15 years and mean age of 8.38 + 4.48. The study was done in the period between December 2012 and May 2014.