Iron Overload in β-Thalassaemia Minor

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Abstract
Descendents (23) of a 74-yr old Englishman who had .beta.-thalassemia trait, and died of hepatoma, were studied to discover whether thalassemia minor alone could predispose to Fe overload. Serum ferritin and HLA antigens were assessed in all members, and adults underwent radio-iron investigations and liver biopsy. Two members of the 2nd generation and 1 of the 3rd generation, all of whom had thalassemia trait, had elevated liver Fe concentration, indicating preclinical Fe overload. This was not associated with any HLA type. None of the subjects were treated with exogenous Fe. The 1 member of the 2nd generation who had thalassemia minor but not Fe overload was female, and the 5 members of the 3rd generation with the trait, but with normal serum ferritin levels, were all under the age of 15 yr. Members of the family without .beta.-thalassemia minor had normal Fe metabolism. The development of Fe overload in 4 members of this family may be related to the presence of thalassemia minor, and not to the inheritance of another abnormal gene causing idiopathic hemochromatosis.