الفهرس 
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Abstract
Thalassemia is the commonest hereditary hemolytic anemia in Egypt. It was estimated that 1000 per 1.5 million live births per year is born with thalassemia. The anemia and resulting hypoxia lead to a dramatic increase in serum erythropoietin levels and extramedullary hematopoiesis. Iron overload is the principal and multifaceted complication of -thalassemia. It is caused by frequent blood transfusion in addition to increased absorption of iron from the gastrointestinal tract.
Hepcidin is 25-amino acid peptide synthesized in the liver and plays a major role in iron homeostasis. Hepcidin negatively regulating iron absorption and iron recycling within the body.
Hepcidin is upregulated in response to iron overload and inflammation and down regulated by erythropoetic stimuli such as anemia, hypoxia or erythropoietin synthesis or administration.
Previous studies concluded that decreased expression of hepcidin is the cause of increased iron absorption in -thalassemia. Previous studies showed that level of hepcidin was low in thalassemia intermedia patients in comparison to that in thalassemia major patients.
In our study we measured serum level of ferritin, erythropoietin and hepcidin in three groups of patients.These groups are (thalassemia major, thalassemia intermedia and control) groups.
In our studied patients, the mean serum level of ferritin was significantly higher in both thalassemic groups (270.5±152.7 (ng/mL) in β-TM and 311.3±115.8 (ng/mL) in β-TI) compared to the control group 24.0±16.6 (ng/mL).
The mean serum level of erythropoietin was significantly higher in both thalassemic groups 113.7±33.3 (IU/mL) in β-TM and 118.6±27.6 (IU/mL) in β-TI) compared to the control group 7.6±4.7 (IU/mL).
We concluded that the serum level of ferritin was significantly higher in both thalassemic groups in comparison to control group. Also, we concluded that the serum level of erythropoietin was significantly higher in both thalassemic groups compared to control group. These results agreed with the previous studies.
The mean serum level of hepcidin was significantly higher in both thalassemic groups 102.3±35.6 (IU/mL) in β-TM and 110.3±33.1 (IU/mL) in β-TI) compared to the control group 12.5±8 (IU/mL).
Regarding the serum level of hepcidin, we concluded that it was significantly higher in both thalassemic groups compared to control group. This is different from the previous results which showed low level of hepcidin in thalassemia intermedia group.