Assessment of renal tubular impairment in beta-thalassemia major patients by using a novel biomarker
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32792/jmed.2025.29.6%20Keywords:
Thalassemia, tubular dysfunction, NGAL, ACRAbstract
Thalassemia is a group of hereditary blood disorders caused by genemutations. Beta-thalassemia major is a more severe type because the
individuals require blood transfusions for survival. The renal tubular
disorder is caused by anemia, iron overload and receiving specific iron
chelators, which all of them can lead to renal tubular impairment. The
aim of case control study was to assess the role of serum NGAL as an
early marker for the diagnosis of tubular dysfunction in BTM patients.
Also to investigate the effect of iron chelator on tubular function. The
study includes 60 beta-TM patients. The control group includes 30
healthy individuals. Patients were divided into 2 groups: group A treated
with Deferoxamine (DFO) and group B treated with Deferasirox (DFX).
Blood iron, Serum NGAL and albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR) in urine
were measured in patients and controls. Patients in the study had higher
Albumin-Creatinine Ratio (ACR) values than controls, which is
statistically significant. S.NGAL shows a statistically significant
difference between the patients and control group.Urinary ACR and
serum NGAL are considered an early marker of renal tubular dysfunction
in BTM. Both Deferasirox and Deferoxamine produce changes in the
tubular function.
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