The clinical significance of OPG/sRANKL ratio in thalassemia patients suffering from osteopenia or osteoporosis in Egyptian patients.

Osteopenia and osteoporosis are considered major health problems in patients suffering from thalassemia due to increased life expectancy of those patients. Osteoprotegerin (OPG) and receptor activator of NF-kappa-B ligand (RANKL) have been recently implicated in the pathogenesis of various types of osteoporosis. The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of serum OPG/RANKL ratio in patients suffering from thalassemia complicated with osteoporosis. Serum OPG and RANKL were measured in thalassemia patients and 20 healthy control subjects, using ELISA methods. Stastistically, the results demonstrate lower OPG and OPG/RANKL ratio in patients suffering from thalassemia with documented osteopenia or osteoporosis in comparison with control group and patients suffering from thalassemia without osteopenia or osteoporosis. OPG/RANKL ratio could become a promising rapid and cheap screening marker for osteopenia or osteoporosis in patients suffering from thalassemia. Furthermore, OPG may become a therapeutic option in treatment of osteoporosis of various etiologies including thalassemia.