Abstract
This case-control study, which was performed at a tertiary care center in India, involved sixty children between the ages of 5 and 18 who were already being treated as case of beta thalassemia major. All participants underwent routine biochemical investigations encompassing complete hemogram, viral markers, LFT, KFT, serum ferritin as per treating unit protocol, and specific tests including a 12-hour fasting lipid profile, carotid artery intima thickness (CIMT), and serum apelin levels. Appropriate Statistical Analysis were performed and p value was calculated and set at < 0.05 for it to be statistically significant. The index study showed that children with beta thalassemia had significantly lower serum cholesterol, LDL and HDL levels when contrasted with age matched controls and were also found to have mean CIMT and serum apelin levels significantly higher with p value < 0.001. Children living with beta thalassemia major are more likely to develop early sub-clinical atherosclerosis, and measures of serum apelin level and carotid artery intima thickness can be used in addition to routine lab parameters to determine the early stages of atherosclerosis in these patients.