Carotid Intima-Media Thickness and Oxidative Stress Markers for Assessment of Atherosclerosis in Children with β Thalassemia Major

The present study evaluates carotid intimamedia thickness (CIMT) in children with β thalassemia major to assess atherosclerosis and its relation to the underlying proposed causative mechanisms via lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde (MDA), oxidized lowdensity lipoproteins (LDL), total antioxidant level, and lipid profile. A cross sectional study was conducted on 62 children (31 cases and 31 controls). CIMT by high resolution ultrasound and biochemical parameters i.e., total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoproteins, LDL, Oxidized LDL, lipoprotein (a), lipid peroxidation product MDA and total antioxidant were measured in enrolled subjects and compared. In our study, CIMT was significantly increased in β thalassemia major patients’ as compared to healthy controls. Mean CIMT in cases was 0.69 ± 0.11 mm and in controls 0.51 ± 0.07 mm. Mean oxidized LDL (EU/mL) in cases 39.3 ± 34.4 (range 14.4 to 160) was significantly raised (p = 0.02, t test) as compared to controls 23.9 ± 13.4 (range 12 to 70). In our study we found MDA levels (nmol/mL) to be increased in β thalassemia patients as compared to controls. Mean MDA was 10.0 ± 3.27 (4.41 to 17.48) in cases while in controls was 6.87 ± 4.55 (1.5 to 17.9). Our study results show CIMT as an early marker of atherogenesis in β thalassemia major. Oxidative stress markers are also increased in β thalassemia major patients and lipoprotein (a) shows a positive correlation with CIMT. The present study points towards various atherogenetic mechanisms in β thalassemia major.