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Abstract
Thalassemia is the commonest hereditary anemia resulting from defects in hemoglobin production. The consequent chronic anemia leads to increased dietary iron absorption resulting in iron overload. Moreover, treatment through regular blood transfusion adds more iron from hemoglobin.
As there is no natural means for the body to eliminate the excess iron, the progressive increase in iron load results in damage to many organs. Although the heart, liver, and pancreas are the target organs most frequently involved, and in which extensive iron-induced injury is regularly observed at necropsy, abnormalities of lung mechanics, pulmonary iron deposition and parenchymal damage have been reported
Pulmonary function tests measure the ability of the respiratory system to accomplish its main task, which is gas exchange by assessing ventilation, diffusion, gas exchange, static and dynamic mechanical properties of the respiratory system.
The aim of this study is to determine the pulmonary functional impairment in a group of children with thalassemia using spirometry as screening test. The relation of different spirometric findings to different hematological parameters and iron profile will be evaluated as well.