Growth in homozygous beta-thalassemia after bone marrow transplantation.

In 8 homozygous beta-thalassemic patients, aged between 1.9 and 18 years, that received bone marrow transplantation (BMT), a longtidinal study of growth before and after BMT and relative Height Standard Deviation Score (SDS), has been performed. In all patients, also after BMT, a progressive growth retardation has been observed except in a case who presented serum ferritin levels in a normal range for age. The study shows that iron depletion must be continued, even after BMT, in those subjects that have after bone marrow transplantation high serum ferritin levels and short stature.