Background and aim
Deficiency of vitamin D is known as a health problem all over the world and a recognized clinical complication of beta thalassemia patients. Vitamin D acts as a hormone at the nuclear receptor rendering it a beneficial medication for a number of diseases. It is believed that vitamin D
is important in the modulation of the inflammation system by regulating the formation of inflammatory cytokines and immune cells. This study aimed to investigate the effect of vitamin D supplementation on the red cell indices and cytokines levels in patients with beta thalassemia major, in an open label randomized clinical trial.
Patients and Methods: this study performed an open-label randomized clinical trial in patients with beta thalassemia major. Forty-six patients completed the eight weeks clinical trial and were allocated to administer oral vitamin D3 supplement of 100,000 IU every two weeks as an add-on treatment. During the study, hematological indices, serum iron, ferritin, vitamin D, calcium and inflammatory markers (interleukin-6, interleukin-2 and interleukin-10) were evaluated before (at baseline) and after vitamin D supplementation for 8 weeks.
Results: Vitamin D3 supplements significantly decreases interleukin-6 levels and elevates the serum levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-2 and IL-10, it also significantly reduced serum ferritin level, but it did not alter the hematological indices.
Conclusion:
Our results suggest that administration of vitamin D has a potential anti-inflammatory role in beta thalassemia patients and reduces serum ferritin levels, which may reduce the burdens of iron overload in thalassemia patients.
Using increased trust in medical researchers to increase minority recruitment: The RECRUIT cluster randomized clinical trial
