Plasma Zinc Difference in Children with Thalassemia β Major Received Deferiprone or Deferasirox Zinc

Abstract

Background: Thalassemia is a blood disease charac­­terized by the most frequently found auto­somal recessive hereditary hemolytic anemia. It requires repeated blood trans­fusions for life. Routine blood transfusion can cause complica­tions in the form of accumu­lation of ferritin in the tissue. Iron chelation therapy is considered effective for treating body iron deposits. How­ever, iron chelation therapy has the side effect of decreasing levels of other im­­­­portant minerals such as zinc (Zn). This study aimed to examine plasma zinc difference in children with Thalasse­mia β major received deferiprone or deferasirox zinc. Subjects and Method: This was a cross sec­tional study conducted at Dr. Moewardi Hospital, Surakarta, from February to April 2017. A sample of 40 children with thalassemia β major aged 3 to 18 years who received deferiprone iron chelation and defe­rasirox at least 6 months was selected by consecutive sampling. The dependent variable was serum zinc levels. The independent vari­ables were iron ­deferip­rone and deferasirox. Plasma zinc levels were measured by atomic absorption spectroscope. The data were analyzed by t test. Results: Zinc levels in patients with deferiprone therapy (Mean= 54.50; SD= 11.02) were lower than defera­sirox therapy (Mean= 60.95; SD= 20.71), but statistically not significant (p= 0.229). Conclusion: Zinc levels in patients with deferi­prone therapy are lower than deferasirox therapy, but not statistically significant. Keyword s : zinc, deferiprone, deferasirox, children with thalassemia β major Correspondence: Wahyu Kusumawardhani. Department of Pedi­a­trics, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Sebelas Maret/ Dr. Moewardi Hospital, Surakarta, Cen­tral Java. Phone/ Fax: 0271-633348. Email: dha­nisurya­diraja­@gmail.com Indonesian Journal of Medicine (2020), 05(02): 102-108 https://doi.org/10.26911/theijmed.2020.05.02.02