Study of Serum Calcium and Serum Phosphorus Levels in Patients of Thalassemia Receiving Repeated Blood Transfusion

A retrospective study with 40 patients of thalassemia, receiving repeated blood transfusion (Group A), and 40 age and sex matched controls (Group B) were included and serum calcium and phosphorus levels were checked. Data were analyzed. The serum calcium levels are statistically significantly lower in Group A compared to Group B, (Pless than 0.0001) but no significant alteration in serum phosphorus levels (P= 0.247). It might be due to iron overload in patients of group A, which alters the function of parathyroid gland and resulting in hypocalcemia. It may also be due to the binding of calcium by citrate content in Packed Red Cells.