Evaluation of intima-media thickness of common carotid artery in thalassemia patients compared to healthy individuals

The relationship between iron status and risk of atherosclerosis in beta- thalassemia patients has been shown previously. The aim of this case-control study is to compare common carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) in beta-thalassemia major, intermedia, and minor with healthy individuals.

In this, case-control study, 27 beta-thalassemia major patients, 27 beta-thalassemia intermedia, and 27 beta-thalassemia minor (age: 18-29 years) with similar sex ratio were investigated in Jahrom, Fars province, Southern Iran. In addition, 27 sex-matched healthy controls with the same age range were randomly selected from individuals referred to the out-patient clinic. Exclusion criteria were diabetes, hypertension, obesity, thyroid dysfunction and smoking.

Serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) were significantly lower in patients with beta-thalassemia major and intermedia in comparison with beta-thalassemia minor and healthy control (P<0.001). In all thalassemia groups CIMT were significantly higher in comparison with healthy individuals (P<0.001). These results were similar after removal of confounding effect of other variables including serum ferritin levels, cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and age.

It seems regardless of other relative risk factors of atherosclerosis, being beta-thalassemia is an influential determinant on the occurrence of atherosclerosis. Maybe some molecular and genetic factors can influence the occurrence of atherosclerosis in these patients that needs further larger combined clinical and basic studies.