title: Evaluation of bone mineral density in patients with hemoglobin H disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted to assess bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) of patients with hemoglobin H (HbH) disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  BMD and BMC were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry of the lumbar spines and femur neck in 21 patients with Hb H disease over the age of 10 years. An association of BMD with sex, age, hemoglobin, calcium, phosphorus, and serum ferritin level was also evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of BMD below the expected range for age in the lumbar spine and femur neck region in patients with HbH disease were 33.3 and 14.3 %, respectively. Lumbar BMD was significantly lower in the patients compared to healthy individuals (median (min-max) 0.725 (0.595-0.924) vs. 1.061 (0.645-1.238), P < 0.001)). There was no significant relationship between BMD in the lumbar and femur neck with any of the evaluated variables (P value >0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Data regarding bone density in HbH disease is limited; osteoporosis as a common complication of β-thalassemia intermedia syndrome should be considered even in HbH which shows its prevalence is less than β-thalassemia intermedia.
authors.affiliation: Hematology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Tahereh
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zarei
authors.affiliation: Hematology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Sezaneh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Haghpanah
authors.affiliation: Hematology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Shirin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Parand
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Moravej
authors.affiliation: Endocrine and Metabolism Research Center, Nemazee Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Hossein
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Dabbaghmanesh
authors.affiliation: Endocrine and Metabolism Research Center, Nemazee Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Gholamhossein Ranjbar
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Omrani
authors.affiliation: Hematology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran. karimim@sums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Mehran
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karimi
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015519:Bone Density; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005272:Femur Neck / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism; D015995:Prevalence; D055815:Young Adult; D017085:alpha-Thalassemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism*
keywords: Bone mineral density; Evaluation; Hemoglobin H