title: Role of genetic pattern on bone mineral density in thalassemic patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the role of genetic background in osteoporosis/osteopenia development in beta-Thalassemia Major patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The influence of VDR (FokI, BsmI) as well as COLIA1 (Sp1) gene polymorphisms on BMD was investigated in 40 patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although the examined gene polymorphisms did not significantly affect BMD variations in our population, BsmI was found to display beneficial effects on patient response to alendronate therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Genetic factors retain a potential role for improvement of osteoporosis management in thalassemic patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Catania, Ospedale Vittorio Emanuele, Via Plebiscito 628, 95124, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Agostino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gaudio
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Morabito
authors.forename: Anastasia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Xourafa
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Currò
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Caccamo
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ferlazzo
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Macrì
authors.forename: Maria Angela
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: La Rosa
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meo
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ientile
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019386:Alendronate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015519:Bone Density / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D019386:Alendronate