Nadeem Ikram, Khalid Hassan, Muhammad Younas, Samina Amanat.
Ferritin levels in patients of beta Thalassemia Major.
Int J Pathol Jan ;2(2):71-4.

In Beta Thalassaemia Major repeated blood transfusions, ineffective erythropoiesis and increased gastrointestinal iron absorption lead to iron overload in the body. The management of the iron overload in these patients requires the administration of iron chelators continuously and evaluation of serum ferritin levels at regular intervals. In the present study serum ferritin levels, of the patients with beta thalassaemia major registered at two different centers of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, were measured. Majority of the patients revealed very high ferritin levels, with a mean of 3390 ng/ml. 21.34% patients had serum ferritin between 1000 to 2500 ng/ml, while 76% patients had values above 2500 ng/ml. These levels reflect inadequate chelation and vulnerability to develop iron overload related complications. There is a dire need to rationalize the chelation therapy, as at present no chelation, inadequate chelation, improper methods of chelators administration, non availability of infusion pumps, non affordability of patients to purchase pumps and chelators, inappropriate evaluation of iron overload and high levels of serum ferritin gives an overall bleak view.

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