title: Bone mineral density in beta-thalassemia major and intermedia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted to assess bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) in patients with thalassemia major and intermedia, and to correlate them with biochemical and hematological profile.
  
  
  METHODS
  106 thalassemic patients (49 major and 57 intermedia) were scanned by dual energy xray absorptiometry technique for BMD and BMC at lumbar spine and femoral neck. The effects of sex, transfusion/chelation program as well as hemoglobin, calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase and serum ferritin level were also evaluated on BMD and BMC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with thalassemia major and intermedia, younger than 20 yr, showed lower BMD and BMC in the lumbar region (p < 0.05). Both parameters correlated significantly with hemoglobin level; other biochemical and hematological parameters did not influence BMD and BMC values.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bone marrow density is a good index of bone status in patients with Thalassemia and should be done in these patients annually.
authors.affiliation: Hemostasis and Thrombosis Unit, Hematology Research Center, Internal Medicine Division, Endocrinology Research Center and Immunology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. karimim@sums.ac.ir
authors.forename: Mehran
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karimi
authors.forename: Alireza Fotouhi
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Ghiam
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hashemi
authors.forename: Saied
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alinejad
authors.forename: Mahmood
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soweid
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kashef
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015519:Bone Density; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*