Evaluation of relationship between heat shock proteins 27 and 60 levels and clinical findings and parameters in talasemia major and talasemia intermedia patients

Aim: It was aimed to measure the levels of the heat shock proteins 27 and 60 as mediators to show hypoxia and tissue injury in talasemia major and talasemia intermedia patients followed in our clinic and to determine whether they can be used as a tool in following of the disease. Material and Method: 53 patients who had the diagnosis of talasemia major and talasemia intermediate presented to the Department of Pediatric Hematology in Gaziantep University were evaluated. 50 healthy children aged between 1-16 attending to general pediatric examination for routine control were taken as a control group. The relationship between clinical findings and laboratory parameters, and HSP 27 and HSP 60 were evaluated. Findings: The patients with talasemia major; 19 of the patients were female, 19 of them were male, the patients with talasemia intermediate; 7 of them were female and 8 of them were male and the patients in control group; 23 of them were female, 27 of them were male and the female to male ratio was 0.9. The mean age was 9.2 ± 4.4 yearsin talasemia majör patients, 5.6 ± 3.8 years in talasemia intermediate patients and 9.1 ± 3.7 years in control group patients. The level of HSP 27 was 5 ± 3 in talasemia major, 4.2 ± 1.7 in talasemia intermediate, 0.93 ± 0.76 in control group and the difference between patients and control group was significant. The level of HSP 60 was 10.1 ± 28.5 in talasemia major, 2.7 ± 3.1 in talasemia intermediate, 0.35 ± 0.49 in control group and the difference between patients and control group was significant. A moderate negative correlation between the levels of MCV and HSP 60 of talasemia intermediate patients was found . A mild positive correlation between RDW levels and HSP 60 of talasemia major patients was found. A mild positive correlation between the platelet counts and HSP 27 and 60 of talasemia major patients was found. A mild positive correlation between the levels of WBC and HSP 27 and HSP 60 of talasemia major patients was found. A mild positive correlation between ALT levels of talasemia major and intermediate patients was found. Splenectomy was applied to 13 (34.2%) of 38 talasemia major patients. When the splenectomy status and HSP levels of the patients were compared, HSP 27 level was 7.5 ± 5 in patients who had undertaken splenectomy and was 3.7 ± 2.4 in patients who had not undertaken splenectomy and it was statistically significant. HSP 60 level was 13.6 ± 20 in patients who had undertaken splenectomy and was 8.3 ± 32.4 in patients who had not undertaken splenectomy and it was statistically significant. Results: Measuring HSP 27 and HSP 60 levels could be used as an evaluation criteria in following of talasemia major and in talasemia intermediate patients the evaluation of complications.