Relationship between tocopherols and serum lipid levels in children with β-thalassemia major

Abstract

Serum tocopherol levels were found to be below normal (< 0.5 mg/100 ml) in nine (50%) of 18 children with β-thalassemia major receiving inadequate treatment with blood transfusions. The mean tocopherol levels were significantly lower in the children with β-thalassemia (0.57 mg/100/ml ± 0.20) than in the controls (1.08 mg/100 ml ± 0.24). Serum total lipid levels were found to be low in children with β-thalassemia. The difference between the mean total lipid level in the β-thalassemic patients (365 mg/100 ml ± 75) as compared to that of the controls (581 mg/100 ml ± 94) was highly significant (P < 0.01). The ratio of serum tocopherol to 1 g total lipids was lower in children with β-thalassemia (1.41 mg/100 ml ± 0.43) than in the controls (1.88 mg/100 ml ± 0.46) and the difference was significant. Yet, only three out of the 18 children with β-thalassemia showed a ratio of less than 0.8 mg/100 ml tocopherol per 1 g total lipid which may be considered indicative of tocopherol deficiency.