Peripheral neuropathy in thalassaemia

Patients with thalassemia may complain of numbness and weakness of the lower extremities. The aim of the study was to document whether these patients suffer from a polyneuropathy and to determine any contributing factors for the development of neuropathy. We examined 30 patients with thalassemia maj...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annals of Saudi medicine 2006-09, Vol.26 (5), p.358-363
Main Authors: Sawaya, Raja A, Zahed, Laila, Taher, Ali
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Biomarkers - blood
Deferoxamine - therapeutic use
Erythrocyte Transfusion
Extremities - innervation
Female
Ferritins - blood
Ferritins - drug effects
Follow-Up Studies
Hemoglobins - drug effects
Hemoglobins - metabolism
Humans
Lebanon
Male
Median Nerve - physiopathology
Motor Activity - drug effects
Peripheral Nervous System Diseases - etiology
Peripheral Nervous System Diseases - physiopathology
Peripheral Nervous System Diseases - therapy
Peroneal Nerve - physiopathology
Reaction Time - drug effects
Recruitment, Neurophysiological
Refractory Period, Electrophysiological
Severity of Illness Index
Sex Factors
Siderophores - therapeutic use
Sural Nerve - physiopathology
Thalassemia - complications
Thalassemia - physiopathology
Thalassemia - therapy
Tibial Nerve - physiopathology
Treatment Outcome
Ulnar Nerve - physiopathology
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Summary:Patients with thalassemia may complain of numbness and weakness of the lower extremities. The aim of the study was to document whether these patients suffer from a polyneuropathy and to determine any contributing factors for the development of neuropathy. We examined 30 patients with thalassemia major and intermedia, clinically and electrophysiologically. We correlated these findings with demographics, blood status, and treatment and compared electrophysiologic data with 30 age- and sex-matched normal subjects or historical controls. We found that 78% of thalassemic patients suffered from a mild sensory polyneuropathy. The neuropathy seemed to be worse in the intermedia type. Thalassemic patients who received blood transfusions and deferoxamine had better nerve function than those who did not, irrespective of the dose of deferoxamine. The neuropathy was worse for older patients, irrespective of sex. The hemoglobin level, and the fact that some patients underwent splenectomy, did not affect the status of the patients' nerves. Patients with thalassemia may suffer from a sensory polyneuropathy especially as they grow older and if they are not optimally treated.
ISSN:0256-4947
0975-4466