Plasma lipid profile and lipid peroxidation in beta-thalassemic children

Background Beta-thalassaemic patients who usually have a combination of; chronic hemolytic anemia, iron storage disease, myocarditis, and premature death especially due to heart failure may also have increased oxidation of lipids and abnormal lipoprotein concentrations. Objective To determine plasma lipids, triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde (MDA) in children with β-thalassemia and unaffected control children. Relationships with age, gender, hemoglobin, serum iron, and serum ferritin were examined. Children with β-thalassemia (28 males and 15 females, aged 4 to 18 years) and 31 age- and gender-matched healthy controls were studied. Results In children with β-thalassemia, there was an increase in TG, MDA, and the MDA/LDL-C ratio ( P = .000) and a decrease in TC, LDL-C, HDL-C, and the LDL-C/ TG ratio ( P < .001) compared to unaffected controls. The LDL-C/HDL-C ratio was not different. The MDA/LDL-C ratio was correlated negatively with blood hemoglobin and TC ( P < .05 for each), whereas the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio was correlated with age, weight, body mass index, and TC ( P < .05, < .05, < .05, and < .01 respectively). Conclusion Despite the derangement in plasma lipid profile in children with β-thalassemia accompanied by excess lipid peroxidation, the lipoprotein concentrations do not suggest increased risk. The MDA/LDL-C ratio may prove to be a valuable marker for lipid peroxidation.