Correlation of Cardiac and Liver Iron Level with T2*MRI and Vitamin D3 Serum Level in Patients with Thalassemia Major

Introduction: Thalassemia is a hypochromic microcytic anemia, which is characterized by congenital disorders. In thalassemia patients, bone diseases are one of the causes of mortality. Our goal was to investigate the association between vitamin D deficiency and increased iron uptake by cardiac myocytes and hepatocytes.

Materials and methods: Forty patients with thalassemia major were studied in Amir Kabir Hospital, Arak, Iran. The information obtained through clinical examination. Serum ferritin level was determined by ELISA and T2*MRI performed for measuring iron content in the heart and the liver.

Results: The average age of the patients was 23.8 ± 10.7 years. The mean T2*MRI values were 23.7 ± 7. The vitamin D3 level in 33 patients (82.5% cases) was less than 20 ng/dl, 2 patients (5%) in the range of 20-30 ng/dl, and the others had above 30 ng/dl. Correlation between vitamin D and age was 0.611. Correlation coefficient between heart and liver T2*MRI with ferritin level in patients was 0.437 and 0.335, respectively.

Conclusion: Due to significant associations, the periodic measurement of vitamin D, as well as PTH, is recommended for patients with thalassemia major.