title: Erythropoietin levels and microcytosis in heterozygous beta-thalassaemia.
abstract: Erythropoietin levels were determined in 50 Greek females: 20 beta-thalassaemia (beta-thal) heterozygotes, 15 with a diagnosis of iron-deficiency anaemia and 15 normal controls. In beta-thal trait carriers, the erythropoietin levels were slightly higher than in normal controls (16.65 +/- 4.43 vs. 12.84 +/- 2.47 mU/ml); these levels were significantly lower than those in iron-deficient subjects with the same degree of anaemia (55.24 +/- 31.35 mU/ml). In both groups, the erythropoietin levels are statistically correlated with the severity of anaemia (r = -0.537 p < 0.05 for iron deficiency; r = -0.610 p < 0.01 for beta-thal heterozygotes). In beta-thal heterozygotes, a close inverse correlation with red cell number and erythropoietin levels was also noted. It is suggested that microcytosis accompanying beta-thal trait constitutes an additional factor intervening in the regulation of erythropoiesis.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Athens University Medical School, Laikon Hospital, Greece.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tassiopoulos
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Konstantopoulos
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tassiopoulos
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Rombos
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Alevizou-Terzaki
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kyriaki
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Loukopoulos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006579:Heterozygote; D006801:Humans; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D004921:Erythropoietin