Correlation between bone mineral densitometry and liver/heart iron overload evaluated by quantitative T2* MRI

Figures & data

Table 1. Characteristics of patients with thalassemia major and thalassemia intermedia

	Thalassemia major (N = 49)	Thalassemia intermedia (N = 29)	P value
Age of patient	24.39 ± 6.03	29.21 ± 7.35	<0.05
BMD lumbar	166.01 ± 36.39	146.85 ± 44.90	<0.05
BMD femoral	0.81 ± 0.16	0.77 ± 0.17	NS
Ferritin	1875.63 ± 1722.24	1392.39 ± 1437.60	NS
T2* heart	24.88 ± 13.62	29.68 ± 12.8	NS
Fe liver	5.36 ± 3.39	4.23 ± 2.33	NS

Table 2. Characteristics of patients stratified according to the normal BMD and those with OOS

	Normal BMD (n = 50)	Osteomalcia/osteoporosis (n = 30)	P value
Age of patient	24.55 ± 0.75	28.69 ± 1.56	<0.001
Female (n, %)	22 (43%)	14 (48%)	NS
Thalassemia major (n, %)	33 (64%)	16 (55%)	NS
T-score lumbar	0.30 ± 0.142	−2.00 ± 0.19	<0.001
BMD lumbar	180.56 ± 3.76	120.06 ± 5.35	<0.001
BMD femoral	0.88 ± 0.015	0.65 ± 0.026	<0.001
Ferritin	1912.21 ± 247.95	1293.39 ± 249.76	NS
T2* heart	27.31 ± 1.73	26.02 ± 2.78	NS
T2* liver	5.54 ± 1.02	3.43 ± 0.408	NS
Fe liver	5.07 ± 0.44	4.55 ± 0.55	NS

Table 3. Correlation of BMD with liver, heart, and serum iron content, in patients with OOS and normal BMD

	Patients with OOS			Patients with normal BMD
	BMD femoral	T2* heart	T2* liver	BMD femoral	T2* heart	T2* liver
Ferritin	−0.52*	−0.44**	−0.32	0.12	−0.46*	−0.36*
T2* heart	0.42**	1	0.24	0.10	1	0.13
T2* liver	0.01	0.24	1	0.02	0.13	1
Age of patient	−0.008	0.25	0.12	−0.05	0.28**	−0.04
BMD lumbar	0.55*	0.33	0.13	0.46*	−0.03	−0.11

*Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (two-tailed).

**Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (two-tailed).

Table 4. Correlation of BMD with liver, heart, and serum iron content, in patients with OOS and normal BMD (age <20)

	Patients with OOS				Patients with normal BMD
	BMD femoral	T2* heart	T2* liver	BMD lumbar	BMD femoral	T2* heart	T2* liver	BMD lumbar
Ferritin	0.231	−0.085	−0.584	−0.260	−0.703	−0.474	−0.368	−0.603
T2* heart	−0.260	1	0.365	0.165	0.057	1	0.112	0.581
T2* liver	−0.413	0.365	1	0.523	−0.017	0.112	1	−0.497
Age of patient	0.441	0.410	0.217	0.379	−0.641	0.556	−0.278	−0.390
BMD lumbar	−0.493	0.165	0.523	1	0.064	0.581	−0.497	1
Fe liver	0.744	−0.538	−0.811	−0.580	−0.076	−0.414	−0.772*	0.110

Table 5. Correlation of BMD with liver, heart, and serum iron content, in patients with OOS and normal BMD (age ≥20)

	Patients with OOS				Patients with normal BMD
	BMD femoral	T2* heart	T2* liver	BMD lumbar	BMD femoral	T2* heart	T2* liver	BMD lumbar
Ferritin	−0.561*	−0.522**	−0.404	−0.55*	0.239	−0.436**	−0.310	0.466*
T2* heart	0.485**	1	0.493**	0.447**	0.130	1	0.156	−0.172
T2* liver	0.362	0.493**	1	0.226	0.002	0.156	1	−0.175
Age of patient	−0.002	−0.092	−0.317	−0.371	−0.220	0.182	0.089	−0.292
BMD lumbar	0.580*	0.447**	0.226	1	0.470*	−0.172	−0.175	1
Fe liver	0.353	−0.495**	−0.710*	−0.240	−0.041	−0.460*	−0.553*	0.370**

*Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (two-tailed).

**Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (two-tailed).