Correlative analysis of the sagittal profile of the spine in patients withbeta-thalassemia and in healthy persons

This prospective study compares several roentgenographic parameters of the thoracic and lumbar spine in patients with beta-thalassemia and in healthy persons who served as controls. Eighty-four patients with beta-thalassemia and 84 age- and gender-matched healthy persons were examined clinically and radiologically (thoracic kyphosis, lumbar lordosis, and vertebral and sacr al inclination). Although there was a significant difference in the vertebr al inclination from T6 to L1, L4, and L5 between patients and controls, tho racic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis did not differ in the two groups. The ap ical vertebra of the thoracic kyphosis in patients and controls was T7 and T6, respectively, whereas L4 was the apical vertebra of the lumbar lordosis in both groups. There were no age- or gender-related differences in the ma gnitude of sacral inclination, thoracic kyphosis, or lumbar lordosis in the patients with beta-thalassemia compared with controls. Lumbar lordosis was significantly correlated with sacral inclination in both patients with bet a-thalassemia and controls. beta-Thalassemia does not affect sagittal profi le of the thoracic and lumbar spine but it is associated by structural chan ges on the frontal plane of the spine that are expressed as a high prevalen ce of scoliosis.