Cross-sectional study on the impact of cardiac and hepatic iron overload, as measured by MRI T2*, on the quality of life in children with severe beta-thalassemia major.

A cross-sectional study to explore the correlation between cardiac and hepatic iron overload and its impact on the quality of life in children diagnosed with severe beta-thalassemia major (ß-TM). A cohort of 55 pediatric patients with ß-TM, diagnosed via genetic testing at the Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University from January 2015 to January 2022, was included in this study. The assessment of cardiac and hepatic iron overload was conducted using the magnetic resonance imaging T2* technique. The Chinese version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) 4.0. Pearson correlation analysis was utilized to assess the relationships between the cardiac and hepatic T2* values and between these T2* values and the total scores of PedsQL 4.0. Analysis showed no significant correlation between cardiac and hepatic T2* values. However, a significant relationship was observed between cardiac T2* values and PedsQL 4.0 total scores (r = 0.313, P < .05), indicating that cardiac, but not hepatic, iron overload is associated with the quality of life. This study highlights the absence of correlation between cardiac and hepatic iron overload levels and demonstrates a significant impact of cardiac iron overload on the quality of life in children with ß-TM. These findings suggest the need for a focused approach to cardiac health in managing ß-TM.

[Toxic Effects of Long-term Exposure to PM2.5 and Protective Effects of Chitosan on Bone Marrow Hematopoietic Environment of the Mice].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the toxic damage and possible mechanism of chronic exposure of ambient particulate matter (PM2.5) to the marrow micro-environment of the mice, and the protective effect of chitooligosaccharides. METHODS: Mice were treated with different doses (150, 300, 600 mg/kg) of chitosan after exposure to PM2.5, and then the mice were divided into: high dose group, medium dose group, low dose group according to the given dose, and the model group and the drug group were set as well. The productions of inflammatory cytokines IL-2, IL-8, TPO and VCAM-1 in marrow tissues were detected by ELISA, the expression of CXCL12 and CXCR4 protein in bone marrow tissues were measured by Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with the mice in control group, IL-2 secretion and CXCL12 expression were decreased in the bone marrow of PM2.5 infected mice, while the secretion of IL-8, TPO and VCAM-1 were significantly increased, and CXCR4 expression was significantly up-regulated (P<0.05). Compared with the mice in control group, drug group and other dose groups, IL-2 secretion in the bone marrow of the mice in high-dose group was significantly increased, and IL-8, TPO and VCAM-1 secretion were significantly decreased (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Chronic exposure of PM2.5 shows some toxicity effect on marrow micro-environment. Chitosan oligosaccharide can reduce the pathologic damage of bone marrow and the toxicity to bone marrow microenvironment caused by PM2.5 at a certain extent.