Beta-thalassaemia Major: Prevalence, Risk Factors and Clinical Consequences of Hypercalciuria

Overview

Journal Br J Haematol

Specialty Hematology

Date 2022 Jun 30

PMID 35768889

Authors

Ludovica Aliberti

Irene Gagliardi

Maria Rita Gamberini

Andrea Ziggiotto

Martina Verrienti

Aldo Carnevale

Marta Bondanelli

Maria Chiara Zatelli

Maria Rosaria Ambrosio

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Regular transfusion and chelation therapy produces increased life expectancy in thalassaemic patients who may develop new complications. Since few data are available regarding hypercalciuria in β-thalassaemia major (TM), the aim of our study was to evaluate its prevalence, risk factors and clinical consequences. We enrolled 176 adult TM patients followed at the Center of Thalassemia of Ferrara. Hypercalciuria was defined by a calciuria of 4 mg/kg/day or more in a 24-h urine sample. Anamnestic, biochemical and radiological data were collected. Hypercalciuria prevalence was reported in 69.3% of patients (females 52.5%). Hypercalciuric (HC) patients used deferasirox (DFX) more often than normocalciuric (NC) patients (47.5% vs 29.6%; p < 0.05). In HC subjects plasma parathyroid hormone (PTH) (24.1 ± 10.4 vs 30.1 ± 13.2 pg/ml) and phosphate levels (3.6 ± 0.5 vs 3.8 ± 0.7 mg/dl) were lower, whereas serum calcium (9.6 ± 0.4 vs 9.4 ± 0.4 mg/dl) and urinary 24-h phosphaturia (0.9 ± 0.4 vs 0.6 ± 0.3 g/day) were higher as compared to NC patients (p < 0.05 for all comparisons). Supplementation with oral calcium and cholecalciferol was similar between the groups. A higher rate of kidney stones was present in HC (14.8%) versus NC patients (3.7%) (p < 0.05). Hypercalciuria is a frequent complication in adequately treated adult TM patients. Hypercalciuria prevalence is increased in DFX users whereas haemoglobin level or calcium supplements play no role. A significant proportion of HC patients developed kidney stones.

Citing Articles

Aetiology, diagnosis and treatment of thalassemia-associated osteoporosis of the adult.

Ambrosio M, Cattaneo C, Gagliardi I, Carnevale A, Zatelli M J Endocrinol Invest. 2025; .

PMID: 39760968 DOI: 10.1007/s40618-024-02503-2.

Beta-thalassaemia major: Prevalence, risk factors and clinical consequences of hypercalciuria.

Aliberti L, Gagliardi I, Gamberini M, Ziggiotto A, Verrienti M, Carnevale A Br J Haematol. 2022; 198(5):903-911.

PMID: 35768889 PMC: 9542302. DOI: 10.1111/bjh.18345.

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