Relationship between tocopherols and serum lipid levels in children with beta-thalassemia major.
Serum tocopherol levels were found to be below normal (less than 0.5 mg/100 ml) in nine (50%) of 18 children with beta-thalassemia major receiving inadequate treatment with blood transfusions. The mean tocopherol levels were significantly lower in the children with beta-thalassemia (0.57 mg/100/ml +/- 0.20) than in the controls (1.08 mg/100 ml +/- 0.24). Serum total lipid levels were found to be low in children with beta-thalassemia. The difference between the mean total lipid level in the beta-thalassemic patients (365 mg/100 ml +/- 75) as compared to that of the controls (581 mg/100 ml +/- 94) was highly significant (P less than 0.01). The ratio of serum tocopherol to 1 g total lipids was lower in children with beta-thalassemia (1.41 mg/100 ml +/- 0.43) than in the controls (1.88 mg/100 ml +/- 0.46) and the difference was significant. Yet, only three out of the 18 children with beta-thalassemia showed a ratio of less than 0.8 mg/100 ml tocopherol per 1 g total lipid which may be considered indicative of tocopherol deficiency.
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood*; D014811:Vitamin E Deficiency / Q000150:complications
D006454:Hemoglobins; D008055:Lipids; D014810:Vitamin E