Evaluation of Antioxidant Status in Beta Thalassemia Major Patients in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo

In beta thalassemia major severe haemolysis and repeated blood transfusions lead to excess iron deposition in various body tissues. This secondary iron overload is thought to be responsible for peroxidative tissue injury and subsequent oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to determine oxidative stress and serum antioxidant levels in patients with beta thalassemia major. Serum levels of reduced glutathione (GSH), catalase and glutathione S-transferase (GST) as well as lipid peroxides were determined. The Serum GSH, catalase and GST levels in beta thalassemia major patients were found to be 0.30±0.10 (?mol/ml), 5.84±2.17 (nmol/mg protien) and 86.25±15.10 (nmol/mg protein) while in healthy controls they were 1.34±0.29 (?mol/ml), 4.76±0.52 (nmol/mg protein) and 31.97±7.12 (nmol/mg protein) respectively. Serum levels of TBARS in beta thalassemia major patients and in controls were found to be 1.34±0.31 (nmol MDA/ml) and 0.81±0.19 (nmol MDA/ml) respectively. We found marked lower serum GSH levels (p <0.05) while significantly higher levels of serum catalase, GST and TBARS (p<0.05) in patients with beta thalassemia major as compared to healthy controls. Our results suggests that the peroxidative status generated by reactive oxygen species in beta thalassemia major patients may lead to significantly increased production of TBARS which is concomitant with increase in catalase and GST activity.