Jahrom University of Medical Sciences Pars Journal of Medical Sciences 2717-0284 17 2 2022 12 25 Comparison of intima-media thickness of carotid artery in beta-thalassemia patients and healthy individuals Comparison of intima-media thickness of carotid artery in beta-thalassemia patients and healthy individuals 1 7 700412 10.52547/jmj.17.2.1 FA Omid Reza Zekavat Associate Professor, Hematology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran Fatemeh Mehrabipour General Physician, Student Research Committee, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran Nader Shakibazad Assistant Professor, Pediatric Oncology Department, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran 0000-0002-5124-6380 Zeinab Fattah Assistant Professor, Cardiology Department, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran 0000-0002-0598-2678 Sezaneh Haghpanah Associate Professor, Hematology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz,, Iran Journal Article 2022 12 25 Introduction: The relationship between iron status and risk of atherosclerosis in beta- thalassemia patients has been<br />shown previously. In this case-control study, common carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) was compared among beta-thalassemia major, intermedia, minor and healthy individuals. <br /> Materials and Methods: In this, case-control study, 27 beta-thalassemia major patients, 27 beta-thalassemia intermedia, and 27 beta-thalassemia minor (age: 19-28 years) with similar sex ratio were investigated in Jahrom, Fars province, Southern Iran. Exclusion criteria were diabetes, hypertension, obesity, thyroid dysfunction and smoking. In addition, 27 sex-matched healthy controls with the same age range were randomly selected from individuals referred to the out-patient clinic.<br />Results: Serum cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) were significantly lower in patients with beta-thalassemia major and intermedia in comparison with beta-thalassemia minor and healthy control (P<0.001). In all thalassemia groups CIMT were significantly higher in comparison with healthy individuals (P<0.001). These results were similar after removal of confounding effect of other variables including serum ferritin levels, cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and age.<br />Conclusion: It seems regardless of other relative risk factors of atherosclerosis, being beta-thalassemia is an influential determinant on the occurrence of atherosclerosis. Maybe some molecular and genetic factors can influence the occurrence of atherosclerosis in these patients that needs further larger combined clinical and basic studies. Introduction: The relationship between iron status and risk of atherosclerosis in beta- thalassemia patients has been<br />shown previously. In this case-control study, common carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) was compared among beta-thalassemia major, intermedia, minor and healthy individuals. <br /> Materials and Methods: In this, case-control study, 27 beta-thalassemia major patients, 27 beta-thalassemia intermedia, and 27 beta-thalassemia minor (age: 19-28 years) with similar sex ratio were investigated in Jahrom, Fars province, Southern Iran. Exclusion criteria were diabetes, hypertension, obesity, thyroid dysfunction and smoking. In addition, 27 sex-matched healthy controls with the same age range were randomly selected from individuals referred to the out-patient clinic.<br />Results: Serum cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) were significantly lower in patients with beta-thalassemia major and intermedia in comparison with beta-thalassemia minor and healthy control (P<0.001). In all thalassemia groups CIMT were significantly higher in comparison with healthy individuals (P<0.001). These results were similar after removal of confounding effect of other variables including serum ferritin levels, cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and age.<br />Conclusion: It seems regardless of other relative risk factors of atherosclerosis, being beta-thalassemia is an influential determinant on the occurrence of atherosclerosis. Maybe some molecular and genetic factors can influence the occurrence of atherosclerosis in these patients that needs further larger combined clinical and basic studies. https://jmj.jums.ac.ir/article_700412_81b92e109d88d99ab486f6c726ef53cf.pdf