Research Article

Iron Status in Newly Diagnosed β-Thalassemia Major: High Rate of Iron Status due to Erythropoiesis Drive

Table 2

A comparison of iron regulation in normal, untranfused, and transfused β-thalassemia major.

ConditionErythropoiesisGDF15HepcidinIron absorption

NormalNormalNormalIncreases when the iron body level increases or with inflammationDecreases
Decreases with iron deficiency or hypoxiaIncreases
Untranfused β-thalassemia majorIncreased IEIncreasesDecreasesIncreases
Transfused β-thalassemia major (regular transfusion)Decreased IEDecreasesIncreasesDecreases

GDF15 = growth differentiation factor 15; IE = ineffective erythropoiesis.