Table 2.

Comparison of the clinical characteristics of β-TM patients received blood transfusion therapy only with β-TM received blood transfusion with infrequent iron chelation therapy

Variables	β-TM (n = 85) (blood transfusion therapy)	β-TM (n = 26) (blood transfusion with infrequent chelation therapy)	p value
Age (years)	11.0 (8.5–13.0)*	8.0 (6.0–12.3)*	0.030
Hb (g/L)	63.0 (55.0–75.0)	71.5 (52.5–85.0)	0.387
Hct (%)	20.4 (18.3–23.6)	22.6 (17.9–25.8)	0.486
WBC × 109 (cells/L)	11.31 (8.17–32.18)	10.19 (7.03–17.74)	0.256
Platelet × 109 (cells/L)	263.0 (190.5–545.0)	354.0 (237.0–459.8)	0.403
TB (μmol/L)	35.91 (27.36–53.01)	28.22 (23.51–39.33)	0.061
DB (μmol/L)	8.55 (6.84–10.26)	6.84 (6.41–10.26)	0.391
AST (U/L)	67.0 (55.5–97.0)	62.5 (55.5–69.5)	0.283
ALT (U/L)	84.0 (69.0–125.0)	79.0 (72.8–102.8)	0.895
ALP (U/L)	130.0 (106.0–172.5)	129.0 (93.8–179.8)	0.631
TC (mmol/L)	2.97 (2.44–3.46)	2.93 (2.59–3.48)	0.676
TG (mmol/L)	1.65 (1.39–1.95)	1.80 (1.55–2.24)	0.144
LDL-C (mmol/L)	1.45 (1.15–1.89)	1.36 (1.12–1.86)	0.604
HDL-C (mmol/L)	0.62 (0.47–0.83)	0.79 (0.59–0.83)	0.069
VLDL-C (mmol/l)	0.550 (0.454–0.674)	0.534 (0.405–0.669)	0.611
Ferritin (μg/L)	2,624.1 (1,734.0–5,000.0)	2,624.1 (1,734.0–5,000.0)	0.160
MDA (μmol/L)	9.4 (6.39–16.18)	8.70 (6.68–13.40)	0.730
RC-MDA/g Hb (μmol/L)	7.68 (6.27–8.99)	7.33 (6.17–8.84)	0.920
TAC (mmol Trolox Equiv/L)	0.470 (0.000–0.5350)	0.465 (0.000–0.510)	0.775

p value <0.05, significant; * median (interquartile)

Hb hemoglobin, Hct hematocrit, TB total bilirubin, DB direct bilirubin, AST aspartate aminotransferase, ALT alanine aminotransferase, ALP alkaline phosphatase, TC total cholesterol, HDL-C high density lipoprotein cholesterol, LDL-C low density lipoprotein cholesterol, VLDL-C very low density lipoprotein cholesterol, MDA malondialdehyde, RC red blood cell, /g Hb per gram hemoglobin, TAC total antioxidant capacity