title: Neutrophil apoptosis in patients with beta-thalassemia major.
abstract: Increased susceptibility to infection is reported in patients with beta-thalassemia major due to toxic effect of iron on neutrophil functions and reticuloendothelial system dysfunction. This study investigated the association between the neutrophil apoptosis and frequency of infection episodes, desferrioxamine treatment, and serum ferritin levels in patients with beta-thalassemia major. A total of 35 children diagnosed with beta-thalassemia major were enrolled. Group 1 consisted patients who were receiving desferrioxamine (DFO) and group 2 consisted of patients who did not start to receive DFO. A total of 15 healthy children were enrolled to serve as a control group. Frequency of infection episodes within a year was noted from hospital records. In all patients, the same method based on flow cytometry (annexin V labeled with FITC) was used to assess neutrophil apoptosis. Neutrophil count and percentage of apoptotic neutrophils did not differ significantly between the groups. When frequency of infection episodes among groups was evaluated, frequency of infection episodes of the patients who were receiving DFO was significantly higher than in the other groups. When correlation between neutrophil apoptosis and frequency of infection episodes, serum ferritin levels, and neutrophil count of the patients was analyzed according to groups, no significant correlation was found. The results indicate that high serum ferritin level and DFO use in patients with beta-thalassemia major do not enhance neutrophil apotosis in vivo and enhanced neutrophil apoptosis cannot be a possible cause for increased susceptibility to infections in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Hematology, Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey. hale.oren@deu.edu.tr
authors.forename: Hale
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oren
authors.forename: Bariş
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.forename: Gülersu
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Irken
authors.forename: Halil
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ateş
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Duman
authors.forename: Sebnem
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Meral
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Türker
authors.forename: Berna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Atabay
authors.forename: Işin
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yaprak
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003676:Deferoxamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007239:Infections / Q000097:blood; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors; D014421:Turkey; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D007502:Iron Chelating Agents; D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron; D003676:Deferoxamine