Hypocholesterolemia in children and adolescents with beta-thalassemia intermedia.
OBJECTIVE
To conduct a prospective study to evaluate the lipid profile in children and adolescents with beta-thalassemia intermedia and major, and to examine the contribution of different factors to hypocholesterolemia observed in these patients.


METHODS
Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were prospectively obtained from patients with beta-thalassemia intermedia (n = 9) and major (n = 47). Lipid profiles were also determined in a control group of healthy children (n = 18). Lipid values of beta-thalassemics and controls were compared and the relationships between lipid levels and different covariates were determined.


RESULTS
beta-thalassemia intermedia patients had significantly lower total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) compared with beta-thalassemia major and controls (P <.001). With regression analysis, serum lipid levels (TC, HDL-C, and triglycerides) correlated with diagnosis (beta-thalassemia major or intermedia) but not with age, sex, hemoglobin, or ferritin. LDL-C was influenced by both diagnosis and ferritin levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Children and adolescents with beta-thalassemia intermedia have significantly lower cholesterol levels than patients with beta-thalassemia major. This is related to their disorder and not influenced by age, sex, hemoglobin, or ferritin levels. In these patients, needless investigations for hypolipidemia should be avoided.
Hartman
Corina
C
Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel.
Tamary
Hannah
H
Tamir
Ada
A
Shabad
Evelyn
E
Levine
Carina
C
Koren
Ariel
A
Shamir
Raanan
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D002675:Child, Preschool; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D006454:Hemoglobins; D014280:Triglycerides; D005293:Ferritins