Iron Overload and Growth Velocity in Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Anemia

Iron overload impaired growth in Thalassemia patients due to iron deposition in the endocrine glands, including the hypophysis and gonads. The issue of iron overload in Sickle Cell Anemia is recently studied more extensively and preliminary studies shows that endocrine damage is rarer in those patients.

Growth velocity was not systematically studied in patients with Iron Overload, even in thalassemia patients in spite several studies that assess the endocrine function in those patients. In Sickle Cell Patients this issue was not studied.

The purpose of this study is to assess the growth velocity in a cohort of Thalassemia Major and Intermedia patients and compare the results to another group of Sickle Cell patients, including Sickle cell thalassemia.

Growth velocity, endocrine function and iron overload status will be studied in the patients that are in follow up at the Pediatric Hematology Unit, at the Ha'Emek Medical Center.

Patients who were lost from follow up or insufficient data about growth in the past will not included in the study.

150 patients suffering from hemoglobinopathies are treated at the Pediatric Hematology Unit, Ha'Emek Medical Center. This include Thalassemia Major blood transfused and treated by chelators, Thalassemia Intermedia patients ussualy not transfused, some of them treated by Hydroxyurea, and two groups of Sickle cell patients, Sickkle cell homozygous and Sickle cell thalassemia. Most of the Sickle cell patients are treated with Hydroxyurea.

• Thalassemia
• Sickle Cell Disease

• Thalassemia Group
  Patients suffering from Thalassemia Major and patients with Thalassemia Intermedia
  Intervention: Other: Medical Chart Summary
• Sickle Cell Group
  Patients with Sickle Cell Anemia and Sickle Cell Thalassemia
  Intervention: Other: Medical Chart Summary

Inclusion Criteria:

• All patients in follow up with available medical charts.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients lost from follow up or without enough data to calculate growth velocity or clinical and laboratory endocrine assessment or missing data about iron status.