title: T2* MRI in regularly transfused children with thalassemia intermedia: serum ferritin does not reflect liver iron stores.
abstract: Nontransfused patients with thalassemia intermedia (TI) accumulate iron due to increased gastrointestinal absorption of iron. Recent studies using T2* MRI revealed that serum ferritin does not reflect the severity of iron overload in nontransfused TI patients. We evaluated the iron overload status in TI children on monthly transfusion. Based on serum ferritin levels, 11 such patients (mean age 13.18 ± 4.09 years), were classified into two groups, group 1 (six patients) and group 2 (five patients) with serum ferritin levels below and above 1000 ng/mL, respectively. T2* MRI assessments were done for evaluation of hepatic and cardiac iron status. Group 1 and group 2 had mean serum ferritin levels of 817.300 ± 244.690 ng/mL and 1983.80 ± 662.862 ng/mL, respectively (P = .003). T2* MRI showed comparable moderate to severe hepatic iron overload status in both. None of the patients had myocardial iron deposition. We conclude that serum ferritin does not reflect the hepatic iron overload status in our patients with TI on regular transfusion.
authors: Department of Child Health, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman.
authors: Surekha
authors: S
authors: Tony
authors: Shahina
authors: S
authors: Daar
authors: Mohamed
authors: M
authors: Elshinawy
authors: Shoaib
authors: S
authors: Al-Zadjaly
authors: Murtadha
authors: M
authors: Al-Khabori
authors: Yasser
authors: Y
authors: Wali
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D019190:Iron Overload / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron