title: Renal tubular dysfunction in beta-thalassemia minor.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Persons with beta-thalassemia minor usually are symptomless. However, we previously reported renal tubular dysfunction in a patient with beta-thalassemia minor. The aim of this study is to investigate renal function in patients with beta-thalassemia minor.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-one subjects with beta-thalassemia minor and 20 sex- and age-matched healthy subjects were enrolled in the study. For analysis, patients were divided into 2 groups: group A, all patients with anemia (n = 19), and group B, patients without anemia (n = 22). Blood and 24-hour urine samples were obtained for hematologic and biochemical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Anemic patients had increased urinary zinc excretion (U(zinc)) and fractional excretion of sodium (FE(Na)) and uric acid (FE(UA)) compared with both controls and patients without anemia. Hemoglobin levels correlated significantly in a negative manner with U(zinc), FE(Na), and FE(UA) in patients with beta-thalassemia minor. However, serum lactate dehydrogenase levels correlated significantly in a positive manner with the same parameters. In addition, 6 of 41 patients (14.6%) with beta-thalassemia minor showed significant signs of renal tubulopathy, such as hypercalciuria, decreased tubular reabsorption of phosphorus with hypophosphatemia, hypomagnesemia with renal magnesium wasting, hypouricemia with renal uric acid wasting, and tubular proteinuria.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Proximal renal tubular dysfunction is not rare in patients with beta-thalassemia minor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Turker
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cetin
authors.forename: Cagatay
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oktenli
authors.forename: Taner
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ozgurtas
authors.forename: Mujdat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yenicesu
authors.forename: S Yavuz
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Sanisoglu
authors.forename: Yusuf
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Oguz
authors.forename: Oguzhan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yildiz
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kurt
authors.forename: Ugur
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Musabak
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bulucu
authors.forename: Ismail H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Kocar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007687:Kidney Tubules, Proximal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008274:Magnesium / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009318:Natriuresis; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000209:etiology; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000097:blood; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000652:urine; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; D014527:Uric Acid; D010758:Phosphorus; D008274:Magnesium