Relationship between chronic transfusion therapy and body composition in subjects with thalassemia.
OBJECTIVE
To measure body composition in patients with thalassemia and explore its relationship to abnormal growth and bone mass.


METHODS
We conducted a cross-sectional, multicenter study. Fat, lean, and bone mineral density (BMD) were assessed with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Medical history, food frequency, and physical activity questionnaires were conducted in 257 transfused patients with thalassemia (age, 23.7+/-11 years [mean+/-SD]; 51% male) compared with 113 non-transfused patients (21.3+/-13 years; 44% male).


RESULTS
Subjects with thalassemia were leaner compared with healthy American subjects from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III data. Transfused subjects had a higher percentage of body fat compared with non-transfused subjects after controlling for age, sex, and ethnicity; 11.8% of non-transfused pediatric subjects were considered underweight, significantly lower than National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data (P=.03). Hemoglobin level was positively related to lean mass (P=.008). Body fat and lean mass were positive predictors for both height and BMD z-scores after adjustment for transfusion status, age, sex, ethnicity, calcium intake, and physical activity (all P<.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Although most adult patients with thalassemia had healthy body composition with rare obesity, young non-transfused patients appear at risk for being underweight. Optimizing physical activity and appropriate use of transfusion therapy may improve growth and bone health in these patients who are at-risk for being underweight.
Fung
Ellen B
EB
Department of Hematology, Children's Hospital & Research Center, Oakland, CA, USA.
Xu
Yan
Y
Kwiatkowski
Janet L
JL
Vogiatzi
Maria G
MG
Neufeld
Ellis
E
Olivieri
Nancy
N
Vichinsky
Elliott P
EP
Giardina
Patricia J
PJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001823:Body Composition; D001827:Body Height; D015519:Bone Density; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007006:Hypogonadism / Q000453:epidemiology; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D014807:Vitamin D; D007501:Iron