THE TOTAL ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY MAY NOT BE RELATED TO BILIRUBIN AND URIC ACID LEVEL IN PATIENTS WITH BETA THALASSEMIA

Objective: Iron burden resulting from ineffective erythropoiesis and multiple transfusions can cause oxidative stress in patients with beta-thalassemia. Here we aimed to examine the total antioxidant and oxidant capacity (TAC and TOC) along with its relation to endogenous antioxidants (bilirubin and uric acid) in patients with beta-thalassemia. Material and Method: Forty-five patients with transfusion-dependent (TDT) (n=30) and non-transfusion-dependent (NTDT) (n=15) beta-thalassemia and 20 healthy subjects were enrolled in the study. Analyses were done using Total Antioxidant Status (TAS) and Total Oxidant Status (TOS) kits. Results: The TAC level of the patients was significantly increased compared to healthy subjects (2.75 vs. 2.10 mmol/L; p=0.01). The total bilirubin level was significantly elevated in NTDT patients compared to TDT patients (5.7 +/- 3.3 vs.1.9 +/- 1.4; p<0.001). No significant relationship between endogenous antioxidants and total antioxidant capacity of patients was detected (p=0.20) Conclusion: The total antioxidant capacity of patients with beta-thalassemia might not be directly related to endogenous anti-oxidative status.