title: Red cell and plasma calcium, copper and zinc in beta-thalassemia/hemoglobin E.
abstract: Beta-thalassemia/Hb E is a genetic disease prevalent in Thailand. This study has used atomic absorption spectroscopy to evaluate red cell and plasma calcium, copper and zinc in patients with beta-thalassemia/Hb E, both splenectomized and non-splenectomized. The levels of these trace elements in both red cells and plasma were different between the non-thalassemic controls and the disease patients. The most prominent result was that calcium concentration in red cells increased significantly in thalassemia subjects, particularly in splenectomized cases. These results might reflect the abnormal trace element metabolism and defects in the calcium transport system of the red cell membrane in thalassemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: K U
authors.initials: KU
authors.lastname: Suthipark
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Likidlilid
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fucharoen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pootrakul
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shumnumsirivath
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ong-ajyooth
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Plaskett
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Webb
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood*; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006446:Hemoglobin E; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010949:Plasma / Q000737:chemistry; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D013156:Splenectomy; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000097:blood*; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D003300:Copper; D006446:Hemoglobin E; D015032:Zinc; D002118:Calcium