Serum Dickkopf-1 and Correlation with Bone Mineral Density in Patients with Beta Thalassemia Major in North-Eastern of Iran

Iron overload is one of the effects of frequent transfusion in beta-thalassemia major (BTM) patients. Osteopenia and osteoporosis are the secondary complications of frequent transfusion due to toxic effects of iron on osteoblasts. Dickkopf-1 (DKK-1) is a secreted protein which plays an important role in the development of osteoporosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between DKK-1 protein and iron overload in BTM patients.
Fifty BTM patients and fifty healthy individuals participated in this case-control study. Each group were similar in terms of age and gender. We evaluated serum levels of DKK-1 and ferritin by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry method was used to evaluate patients bone density. Complete blood count and osteoporosis parameters (densitometry test results) were checked in both groups.
The mean age of BMT patients was 25.82 years (24 male/26 female); it was 26.98 years (25 male/25 female) in control group. Significantly, the serum level of DKK-1 was higher in BTM samples (p Probably, DKK-1 protein plays a significant role in the development and intensification of osteoporosis in BTM patients; it can be used as an applicable factor for early diagnosis of osteoporosis and follow-up in adult BTM patients.