Author/Authors :
Saki، Najmaldin نويسنده Department of Hematology and Blood Banking School of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran , , Abroun، Saeid نويسنده Hematology Department, School of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran , , Salari، Fatemeh نويسنده Department of Law, Kerman Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kerman, Iran , , Rahim، Fakher نويسنده Toxicology Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran , , Shahjahani، Mohammad نويسنده Research Center of Thalassemia and Hemoglobinopathy, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran , , Mohammadi Asl، Javad نويسنده ,
Abstract :
B-thalassemia is the most common single gene disorder worldwide, in which hemoglobin
B-chain production is decreased. Today, the life expectancy of thalassemic patients is
increased because of a variety of treatment methods; however treatment related complications
have also increased. The most common side effect is osteoporosis, which usually
occurs in early adulthood as a consequence of increased bone resorption. Increased bone
resorption mainly results from factors such as delayed puberty, diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism,
ineffective hematopoiesis as well as hyperplasia of the bone marrow, parathyroid
gland dysfunction, toxic effect of iron on osteoblasts, growth hormone (GH) and
insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) deficiency. These factors disrupt the balance between
osteoblasts and osteoclasts by interfering with various molecular mechanisms and result
in decreased bone density.
Given the high prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis in thalassemic patients and
complexity of their development process, the goal of this review is to evaluate the molecular
aspects involved in osteopenia and osteoporosis in thalassemic patients, which may
be useful for therapeutic purposes.
