International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences | June 2018 | Vol 6 | Issue 6 Page 2138 International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences Negi B et al. Int J Res Med Sci. 2018 Jun;6(6):2138-2142 www.msjonline.org pISSN 2320-6071 | eISSN 2320-6012 Original Research Article Nerve conduction study in children with thalassemia Banita Negi 1 , Parveen Bhardwaj 1 , Minoo Sharma 2 *, Sudhir Sharma 3 , Neelam Grover 1 INTRODUCTION Beta- thalassemia is an inherited disorder of hemoglobin characterized by an absence or reduced synthesis of beta globin chain. The net result is an excess of alfa chains, which precipitate and destroy the red cell precursors, leading to anemia, skeletal changes, splenomegaly and numerous other complication. Beta thalassemia major was first described in 1925 by Thomas Cooley and Lee. 1 In those days, thalassemia major patients rarely used to survive the first decade of life. Following the introduction of regular transfusion regimens in the 1960’s, initially by Orsini, and later by Wolman and Piomelli, thalassemics survived into 2nd and 3rd decades. 2-5 As a result of this improved survival due to transfusion therapy, the problems of transfusional hemosiderosis became conspicuous. The combination of transfusion and chelation therapy has dramatically extended the life expectancy of these patients, thus transforming thalassemia from a rapidly fatal disease of childhood to a chronic illness compatible with a prolonged life. 6 Heart failure, arrhythmias, osteoporosis, bone pain, and bone changes, bile stone formation, increased risk of viral hepatitis, cirrhosis, delayed puberty, growth retardation; 1 Department of Pediatrics, 2 Department of Physiology, 3 Department of Neurology, Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India Received: 10 April 2018 Accepted: 01 May 2018 *Correspondence: Dr. Minoo Sharma, E-mail: minoo01sharma@gmail.com Copyright: © the author(s), publisher and licensee Medip Academy. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. ABSTRACT Background: Regular blood transfusion and iron chelation therapy has increased life span of children with Thalassemia and with prolongation of life expectancy the toxic effect of iron on nervous system are being increasingly reported. Aim was to study nerve conduction study in thalassemia children and effect of iron overload on NCV. Methods: 30 children with thalassemia on regular transfusions and iron chelation therapy and 30 healthy age and sex matched controls were subjected to nerve conduction study on three motor and sensory nerves. Statistical analysis used: means of quantitative variables were calculated in two groups and compared with student t- test. A p-value of <0.05 was taken as significant. Results: On comparing the results the between cases and controls, we found that, there was no significant difference in the distal latency, amplitude and nerve conduction velocity of all three motor nerves and sensory nerves which were evaluated. Cases were further divided in to two groups depending upon serum ferritin level of < and >1000ng/ml. On comparing these two groups it was noted that distal latency was increased, nerve conduction velocity was slow in all the motor nerves (i.e. median, ulnar and tibial nerves) and sensory nerves (i.e. median, ulnar and sural nerves) in group with serum ferritin level >1000ng/ml and these findings were statistically significant. Conclusions: We concluded that in children with thalassemia on regular transfusion and Iron chelation regime, nerve conduction study is normal in comparison to normal control but with progressive increase in serum ferritin level, the latency and conduction velocity is decreased and is statistically significant. Keywords: Deferasirox, Ferritin, Nerve conduction study, Thalassemia DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20182302