SOME COMMENTS ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE THERAPY FOR BETA-THALASSEMIA

In the present study, twenty-five samples of red blood cells (RBCs) an d two samples of lyophilized serum, drawn from thirteen patients with beta-thanassemia major, have been examined by Mossbauer spectroscopy. All these patients undergo long-term therapy by regular blood transfus ion and deferoxamine. The samples were obtained at the end of one cycl e of treatments, before the successive blood transfusion. The results show, within the experimental errors, that the ferritin-like iron appe ars to be absent in the RBCs of the patients but it is still present i n the serum.