Pattern of Transfusion Related Zinc and Copper Derangements in Beta Thalassemia Major Patients

Objective: To assess serum zinc and copper levels in beta thalassemia major patients as compared to healthy subjects. Study Design: Comparative cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Chemical Pathology and Endocrinology Department Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, in collaboration with Armed Forces Institute of Transfusion, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Jan 2021 to Jun 2021. Methodology: The patients of transfusion dependent thalassemia major aged between 4 to 35 years were included in the study along with healthy subjects in 1:1. After collection of blood samples in plain serum tubes, serum Zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) levels of all subjects were analyzed on atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Zn and Cu levels were expressed as Mean±SD. Independent sample t-test with significant p-value of ≤0.005 was used to compare Zn and Cu concentration of patients with thalassemia major with that of healthy controls. Results: Study included 80 subjects (40 patients and 40 controls) with mean age of 13.33±7.69 years. The mean value of serum Zn and Cu in beta thalassemia major patients were 8.62±1.77 µmol/L and 14.46±5.92µmol/L respectively as compared to 15.08±2.8 µmol/L and 13.45±2.80 µmol/L in healthy controls. Zn levels showed a statistically significant difference (p=0.005) between two groups while Cu levels also showed statistically significant difference (p=0.03) between the two groups. Conclusion: Beta thalassemia major patients showed significantly lower levels of serum zinc and higher levels of serum copper as compared to healthy controls which should be taken into consideration for continuous monitoring and prompt correction.