Introduction. In iron overload status, excess iron deposits in reticuloendothelial cells and tissues and can be detected using\r\nPrussian blue staining. The aim of this paper was to investigate the relationship between siderocyte numbers and plasma\r\nferritin levels (a practically standard marker of iron overload) in the blood of the splenectomized and nonsplenectomized �Ÿ-\r\nthalassemia/HbE patients, who are at risk of iron overload.Methods. EDTA blood samples from 64 patients with 35 splenectomized\r\nand 29 nonsplenectomized �Ÿ-thalassemia/HbE patients, who received regular blood transfusions, and 20 normal individuals were\r\ninvestigated for siderocyte numbers, plasma ferritin levels, and complete blood counts. Results. The average percent siderocytes\r\nin splenectomized and nonsplenectomized �Ÿ-thalassemia/HbE patients were 11.5% and 0.08%, respectively, and plasma ferritin\r\nlevels of 2,332 �µg/L and 1,279 �µg/L, respectively. Percent siderocytes showed a good correlation with plasma ferritin levels only in\r\nsplenectomized patients (r = 0.69, P < 0.001). A receiver operating curve analysis from splenectomized patientsâ�� data indicated\r\nthat siderocytes at 3% cut-off are the best predictor for plasma ferritin level =1,000 �µg/L with 92.9% sensitivity and 42.9%\r\nspecificity. Conclusion. Circulating siderocyte numbers can be used as a screening test for the assessment of the iron overload\r\nin splenectomized �Ÿ-thalassemia/HbE patients in the place where serum ferritin is not available.
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