Non‐Transferrin Plasma Iron in β‐Thalassaemia/Hb E and Haemoglobin H Diseases

Abstract

Non‐transferrin plasma iron concentrations were determined in 45 normal controls and in 37 patients with Hb H disease and 104 patients with β‐thalassaemia/Hb E disease. This revealed that non‐transferrin plasma iron exists in cases with severe iron overload, more striking in β‐thalassaemia/Hb E than in Hb H disease. Non‐transferrin plasma iron is associated with higher transferrin iron saturation and higher plasma ferritin levels. The most striking finding was the significantly higher non‐transferrin plasma iron in splenectomized patients with β‐thalassaemia/Hb E disease than in the non‐splenectomized patients. In view of the potential toxicity of non‐transferrin iron, this fraction of iron may be responsible for tissue damage in these patients especially after splenectomy. © Munksgaard 1984