Effects of Splenectomy on Natural Killer Cell Levels in β-Thalassemia Major Patients

Overview

Journal J Clin Lab Anal

Publisher Wiley

Specialties Biomedical Engineering
Biotechnology
Pathology

Date 2024 May 30

PMID 38814004

Authors

Aysegul Ugur Kurtoglu

Sevcan Ugur

Mesut Gocer

Erdal Kurtoglu

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Aim: In this study, we investigated how splenectomy affects natural killer (NK) cell levels in patients with β-thalassemia major (β-TM).

Materials And Methods: Seventy patients with β-TM (38 splenectomized and 32 nonsplenectomized) and 25 healthy controls were included in this study. The hemogram parameters, ferritin, T lymphocyte, T-helper cell, T-suppressor cell, and NK cell numbers, were measured.

Results: The T lymphocyte (CD3) level was found to be significantly higher in the patient group (p < 0.05). CD3/CD4 T lymphocytes were detected to be significantly higher in the patient group (p < 0.05). Although the CD3/CD4 T lymphocyte level was significantly higher in the nonsplenectomy group (p < 0.05), this was not the case in the splenectomy group. When the patient and control groups were compared, no significant difference was detected regarding CD3/CD8 T lymphocyte levels. CD3/CD16CD56 NK cell level was found to be significantly lower only in the splenectomy group than in the control group (p < 0.05). We found that there was a significant negative correlation between serum ferritin levels and both total lymphocyte (r = -0.617) and CD3 lymphocyte (r = -0.718) levels in the control group (p < 0.05). A significant negative correlation was detected between serum ferritin levels and CD3/CD16CD56 NK cell levels in the patient group (r = -0.410) (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Splenectomy reduces NK cell levels in patients with β-TM. The negative relationship between ferritin levels and NK cells indicates that ferritin levels should be kept under control in patients with β-TM.

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