Zinc Concentration in Thalassemic Patients Hair

ABSTRACT Thalassemia is a common genetic diseaes. Due to repeated blood transfuion and increasing iron load, deferoxamin is used in this illness. One of it's adverse effect is binding to zinc element, Regarding to effects of zinc on growth and development, when the patient's zinc hair was less than healthy person, it is concluded that with administration of zinc element, There was significant improvement on these patients growth. Mean hair zinc concentration in patient group was 112.7 ppm ±53.11 and mean hair zinc concentrtion in control group was 149.6 ppm ±72.2 (p<0.5). Regarding to less hair zinc concentration in patients group than control and it's independency to deferoxamine, it seems there was another supplementation responsible for zinc deficiancy and it is recommended to supply zinc in children diets or as a drug.