Immunological Evaluation of Patients with Β-Thalassemia Major in Kerbala City Using Single Radial Immunodiffusion (SRID) Techniqu…………………..………….…

Abstract

background: Beta-thalassemia major is one of the major health problems in our country. Many studies have confirmed the fact that, these patients have an increased susceptibility to bacterial infections, assumed to be the result of immunological changes.Objective: This study aimed to evaluate some of humoral immunological parameters of thalassemic patients by measuring their serum concentration of Immunoglobulin (IgG), IgM, IgA, and serum complement components C3 and C4.Patients & Methods: A total of forty five beta-thalassemia major patients who wereattending to the thalassemia center in Kerbala teaching pediatrics hospital (24 males and 21females) from January to August of 2009 and fifty of control children with matched age andsex were randomly selected from apparently healthy individuals without any history of recentor recurrent infections, were enrolled in the study. Serum IgG, IgM, IgA, C3 and C4 levelswere measured using Single Radial Immunodiffusion (SRID).Results: The mean of serum IgG, IgM &IgA showed a significant increment (P<0.01) in thalassemic patients as compared with apparently healthy control group, while the serum levels of C3 and C4 were significantly decreased (P<0.01) in thalassemic patients as compared with control group.Conclusion: The elevation of serum levels of studied immunoglobulins can be due to continuous exposure to antigens, repeated infections, and chronic liver disease, while the only probable cause of humoral immune deficiency were found in these patients were due to the decline of serum complement levels (C3 and C4).Recommendations: The determination of serum levels of immunoglobulins and complement components have a beneficial value for evaluation of immunological status of thalassaemia major patients and further work need to be done to evaluate another immunological parameters for example the serum level of cytokines to manipulate the immunological aspects of thalassemic patients.Key word: Beta-Thalassemia major, Immunoglobulin G, IgM, IgA, C3 and C4, (SRID).