Evaluation of Transaminases, Total Bilirubin and Ferritin in Iraqi Thalassemia Patients

Thalassemia is a hereditary disease which characterize by a severe form of anemia occurring early in life associated with splenomegaly and bones changes.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the serum levels of ALT (Alanine transaminase), AST (Aspartate transaminase), bilirubin and ferritin in Iraqi β-thalassemia patients.

Fifty Iraqi patients diagnosed clinically by hematology doctors as β-thalassemia major(TM) were enteredin this study, they conducted to Ibn AL-Baladi hospital/Baghdad during the period from December, 2017 to march, 2018.The age ranges of patients were (6–36) years, twenty healthy age match were used as control group(Cot). Blood samples (3–5) ml, were collected from the two groups under study TM and control group. Serum was separated, drawn in two plane test tubes, and kept frozen (−20°c) till the use. Ferritin levels were measured by using Ferritin (Kit Ref 04491785 of cobas e 411 analyzer) according to the manufacturing company. Total Serum Bilirubin concentration(TSB), Transaminases (GOT&GPT) activity were also measured by colorimetric methods, according to ELITech kit, Ref. BITO-0250 France for Bilirubin, and according to ELITech kit, Ref. ALSL-0455 France, for Transaminases/France, using flexor 150 apparatus.

Results indicated that serum GOT and GPT were significantly elevated in TM patients (47.560 ± 30.472) U/L and (58.755± 5.369) U/L respectively in comparisons to their levels in the control group (19.940 ±9.427) U/L and (8.231 ± 3.830) U/L respectively, also a significant increase in serum Ferritin concentration (2668.±1775.436) ng/dl in TM patients in comparison with control group (31.000±4.735) ng/dl, with an elevated levels in mean value of serum TSB in thalassemia patients (34.76 2 ± 18.526) in comparison to control group (8.231 ± 3.830).

Increase ALT (Alanine transaminase), AST (Aspartate transaminase), bilirubin and ferritin inthalassemiapatients may refer to liver dysfunction.