ALTERATIONS IN VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL CELL-RELATED PLASMA-PROTEINS IN THALASSEMIC PATIENTS AND THEIR CORRELATION WITH CLINICAL SYMPTOMS

An increased level of plasma thrombomodulin (TM) in alpha- and beta-th alassaemia was demonstrated using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Nonsplenectomized patients with beta-thalassaemia/haemoglobi n E (BE) had higher levels of TM than splenectomized cases (BE-S). Pat ients with leg ulcers (BE-LU) were found to have the highest increase in TM level. Appearance of larger platelets in all types of thalassaem ic blood was observed indicating an increase in the number of younger platelets, These data indicate that injury of vascular endothelial cel ls is present in thalassaemic patients.