Bone minerals in beta-thalassemia minor.
Homozygous beta-thalassemia is a severe hereditary disorder associated with osteopenia. Recently it was suggested that thalassemia minor may be a risk factor for osteoporosis. The purpose of the present study was to investigate this suggestion. Bone mineral status was assessed in 22 premenopausal women and 21 men with beta-thalassemia minor. In vivo neutron activation analysis was applied to measure hand-bone phosphorus (HBP), single-photon absorptiometry to measure forearm bone mineral content (BMC), and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry to measure spinal bone mineral density (BMD). Comparison of the HBP, BMC, and BMD values with those of sex- and age-matched healthy subjects without the beta-thalassemia trait failed to indicate a statistically significant difference for either sex group. Concerning the biochemical markers of bone metabolism that were studied (serum calcium, phosphate, alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, and parathyroid hormone, and 3-h fasting urine calcium-to-urine creatinine ratio) no difference was observed between the study subjects and matched controls. In conclusion, the present study showed that subjects with beta-thalassemia minor are not at risk for osteoporosis.
Kalef-Ezra
J
J
Department of Medical Physics, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Greece.
Challa
A
A
Chaliasos
N
N
Hatzikonstantinou
I
I
Papaefstathiou
I
I
Cholevas
V
V
Glaros
D
D
Lapatsanis
P
P
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology*; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005542:Forearm; D006225:Hand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009501:Neutron Activation Analysis; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000378:metabolism; D017697:Premenopause; D012737:Sex Factors; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology*
D015415:Biomarkers; D010758:Phosphorus