Effects of Splenectomy on Natural Killer Cell Levels in β-Thalassemia Major Patients

Aim

In this study, we investigated how splenectomy affects natural killer (NK) cell levels in patients with β-thalassemia major (β-TM).

Materials and Methods

Seventy patients with β-TM (38 splenectomized and 32 nonsplenectomized) and 25 healthy controls were included in this study. The hemogram parameters, ferritin, T lymphocyte, T-helper cell, T-suppressor cell, and NK cell numbers, were measured.

Results

The T lymphocyte (CD3⁺) level was found to be significantly higher in the patient group (p < 0.05). CD3⁺/CD4⁺ T lymphocytes were detected to be significantly higher in the patient group (p < 0.05). Although the CD3⁺/CD4⁺ T lymphocyte level was significantly higher in the nonsplenectomy group (p < 0.05), this was not the case in the splenectomy group. When the patient and control groups were compared, no significant difference was detected regarding CD3⁺/CD8⁺ T lymphocyte levels. CD3⁻/CD16⁺CD56⁺ NK cell level was found to be significantly lower only in the splenectomy group than in the control group (p < 0.05). We found that there was a significant negative correlation between serum ferritin levels and both total lymphocyte (r = −0.617) and CD3⁺ lymphocyte (r = −0.718) levels in the control group (p < 0.05). A significant negative correlation was detected between serum ferritin levels and CD3⁻/CD16⁺CD56⁺ NK cell levels in the patient group (r = −0.410) (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Splenectomy reduces NK cell levels in patients with β-TM. The negative relationship between ferritin levels and NK cells indicates that ferritin levels should be kept under control in patients with β-TM.