Renal tubular dysfunction in beta-thalassemia minor.
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.
Cetin
Turker
T
Department of Hematology, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey.
Oktenli
Cagatay
C
Ozgurtas
Taner
T
Yenicesu
Mujdat
M
Sanisoglu
S Yavuz
SY
Oguz
Yusuf
Y
Yildiz
Oguzhan
O
Kurt
Ismail
I
Musabak
Ugur
U
Bulucu
Fatih
F
Kocar
Ismail H
IH
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*
D006454:Hemoglobins; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; D014527:Uric Acid; D010758:Phosphorus; D008274:Magnesium