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Egypt J Pediatr Allergy Immunol, (October 2015), Volume No. 13, Issue 02  
 
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Egypt J Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2015 ; 13 ( 02 ) : 57 - 63
, ESP - 190  
Original articles
Assessment of T lymphocyte Subsets in Egyptian children with Beta Thalassemia Major and correlation with iron load
Adel A Hagag   Mohamed A El-Gamasy   Enaam S Abd Elbar        
Beta thalassemia is an inherited hemoglobin disorder resulting in chronic hemolytic anemia that requires lifelong transfusion therapy. Repeated blood transfusions and RBCs hemolysis are the major causes of secondary iron overload which in addition to immune abnormalities that occur in patients with ?- thalassemia are predisposing factors to infection. Aim of this work was to study T lymphocyte subsets in children with beta- thalassemia major and its correlation with iron overload. Material and Methods: The present study was conducted on 40 children with beta thalassemia major under follow up at Hematology unit, Pediatric Department, Tanta University including 24 males and 16 females with mean age of 9.22 + 3.9 and 20 healthy children of matched age and sex as a control group. All children included in the study were subjected to the following investigations: Complete blood count, Hb electrophoresis, serum iron status, CD3, CD4 and CD8 levels. Results: Serum ferritin and iron were significantly higher but total iron binding capacity was significantly lower in patients than controls. CD3 and CD4 were significantly lower but CD8 was significantly higher in patients than controls. Conclusion: CD3 and CD4 were significantly lower but CD8 was significantly higher in thalassemic patients compared with controls with negative correlation between CD3 and CD4 and iron overload and positive correlation between CD8 and iron overload. Recommendations: Regular follow up of thalassemic patients for detection of iron overload to avoid its complications as iron overload can affects cell mediated immunity with reduction of CD3, CD4 and elevation of CD8.