Comparison of pulmonary functions of thalassemic and of healthy children
ABSTRACT: Objectives The aim
of this study was to compare some pulmo-nary functions of thalassemic patients
and those of normal chil-dren. Factors correlated with lung dysfunction were
assessed. Methods This cross-sectional study compared some pulmonary functions
of thalassemic patients with those of healthy children.The study was performed
in the Department of Child Health, Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta,
Indonesia. Pre- and post-trans-fusion hemoglobin levels of the thalassemic
subjects were deter-mined. Other data such as chelation therapy and serum
ferritin levels were also obtained. Both thalassemic and control subjects underwent
routine physical examinations and lung function tests using an electronic spirometer.
Spirometry was repeated three times for
each subject, and only the best result was recorded. Results Sixty-three
thalassemic patients were enrolled, consist-ing of 32 male and 31 female
subjects. Healthy subjects consisted of 31 males and 31 females. Most
thalassemic patients (46/63) were found to have lung function abnormalities.
This was signifi-cantly different from control subjects, of whom most (39/62)
had normal lung function. Restrictive lung function abnormality was the most
common (42/63) observation documented. Serum ferritin lev-els were obtained
from 28 male and 29 female thalassemic sub-jects. There was no correlation
between percentage from predicted forced vital capacity and serum ferritin
levels, whether in male (r=0.191; P=0.967) or female (r =-0.076, P=0.695)
thalassemic subjects. Conclusion
Thalassemic patients have significantly lower lung function than healthy
children. More thalassemic patients had lung function abnormalities compared to
healthy children. Restrictive dysfunction was the most common finding in the
thalassemic group. No correlation was found between lung function and serum
ferritin levels.
Keywords: pulmonary function,
thalassemia, spirom-etry, serum ferritin level, restrictive lung dysfunction
Author: Mardjanis Said, MD;
Sudigdo Sastroasmoro, MD, PhD; Djajadiman Gatot, MD; Bambang Supriyatno, MD;
Yovita Ananta, MD
Journal Code: jpkedokterangg050001
