ABSTRACT
Cholesterol and its fractions, triglycerides and apoliproteins were studied in the serum of 50 patients affected with B thalassemia minor. Comparing these with normal controls we have observed a decrease of cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol, as alsothe increase of apolipoprotein A1 and in the apolipoprotein a1/apolipoprotein B relation. There is no significant difference in the serum levels of triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol and apolipoprotein B between normal and thalassemic patients. Furthermore, we anaalized this lipoprotein pattern in men and women, and we concluded that in women the apolipoprotein A1 is slightly more increased and LDL-cholesterol in more decreased than in men. We think that the cause of the altered lipoprotein pattern in B thalassemia minor is not clear but the cholesterol metabolism plays an important role.