Hepatic Iron Concentration and Total Body Iron Stores in Thalassemia Major

• Published in: The New England journal of medicine Vol. 343; no. 5; pp. 327 - 331
• Main Authors: Angelucci, Emanuele, Brittenham, Gary M, McLaren, Christine E, Ripalti, Marta, Baronciani, Donatella, Giardini, Claudio, Galimberti, Maria, Polchi, Paola, Lucarelli, Guido
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston, MA Massachusetts Medical Society 03.08.2000
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Anemia; Anemias. Hemoglobinopathies; beta-Thalassemia - pathology; beta-Thalassemia - therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Biopsy; Bone marrow; Bone Marrow Transplantation; Child; Diseases of red blood cells; Female; Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases; Humans; Iron; Iron - analysis; Linear Models; Liver - chemistry; Male; Medical sciences; Phlebotomy; Studies; Transplants & implants; Human; Hemoglobinopathy; Correlation; Statistical analysis; Liver; Phlebotomy; Homograft; Thalassemia; Hemopathy; Iron; Genetic disease; Concentration measurement; Hemolytic anemia; Treatment; Biopsy; Total; Bone marrow; Graft; Quantitative analysis
• ISSN: 0028-4793; 1533-4406
• DOI: 10.1056/NEJM200008033430503

Quantitative studies of iron balance in patients with thalassemia major have been limited by the lack of a method for determining the total amount of stored iron in the body. The plasma ferritin concentration and the amount of urinary iron excreted after the administration of an iron-chelating agent are only qualitative indexes of iron loading and are influenced by infection, inflammation, liver disease, ascorbate deficiency, and other factors. 1 Phlebotomy with careful measurement of the amount of iron in the blood removed is the most accurate means of measuring total body iron stores 2 but it cannot be used in transfusion-dependent patients. . . .