Pulmonary iron overload in thalassemia major presenting as small airway disease

Acta Haematol. 2002;108(1):43-6. doi: 10.1159/000063059.

Abstract

Lung function abnormalities that are associated with thalassemia major are variable with etiology that is yet undetermined. Some studies have suggested that pulmonary iron deposition is a probable cause for these lung defects although there has been no antemortem histopathological and radiological evidence for this. We report a case of thalassemia major with biopsy-proven pulmonary iron overload, in which thoracic high-resolution computed tomography revealed a morphological-functional correlation consistent with small airway disease.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Airway Obstruction / etiology*
  • Biopsy
  • Chelation Therapy
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Deferoxamine / therapeutic use
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / complications
  • Female
  • Hemosiderin / analysis
  • Humans
  • Hypothyroidism / complications
  • Insulin / therapeutic use
  • Iron Chelating Agents / therapeutic use
  • Iron Overload / diagnosis*
  • Iron Overload / diagnostic imaging
  • Iron Overload / etiology
  • Kidney Diseases / complications
  • Lung Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Lung Diseases / diagnostic imaging
  • Lung Diseases / etiology
  • Lung Diseases / pathology
  • Macrophages / chemistry
  • Macrophages / pathology
  • Patient Compliance
  • Splenectomy
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Transfusion Reaction
  • beta-Thalassemia / complications*
  • beta-Thalassemia / surgery
  • beta-Thalassemia / therapy

Substances

  • Insulin
  • Iron Chelating Agents
  • Hemosiderin
  • Deferoxamine