title: Bone minerals in beta-thalassemia minor.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Greece.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kalef-Ezra
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Challa
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chaliasos
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hatzikonstantinou
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Papaefstathiou
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cholevas
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Glaros
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lapatsanis
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D010758:Phosphorus