Zinc levels of serum, hair and urine in homozygous beta-thalassemic subjects under hypertransfusional treatment.

The concentration of zinc in serum, hair and urine has been examined in 92 homozygous beta-thalassemic and 81 control subjects. The results were not statistically different in the subjects of each group studied (thalassemic and control persons of different ages: 1-12, 12-18, and 18-35 years). In the thalassemic children no statistically significant differences were observed between those normally growing and those with impaired growth. The authors hypothesize that hypertransfusional treatment prevents zinc deficiency in the thalassemic patients.