β-thalassemia is a genetic disorder affecting chromosome 16, inherited from one or both parents. In spite of the improved treatment of the hematological disorder and its complications, β-thalassemic patients still exhibit an imbalance in bone mineral turnover, resulting in diminished bone mineral density (BMD), more evident in the lumbar spine. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between genetic polymorphism of the PPAR-γ gene and the presence of osteopenia or osteoporosis in children with β-thalassemia. This case–control study was conducted on 50 children with β-thalassemia from the pediatric hematology unit of Beni-Suef University Hospital, including 50 healthy children as the control group. The age range was 8 to 18 years. Samples of patients and control subjects were analyzed for the presence of polymorphisms of the PPAR-γ gene and other blood labs. An assay of BMD measure using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was performed to investigate osteopenia or osteoporosis. Statistical analysis was used to investigate the relationship between the risk of osteopenia or osteoporosis and the presence of PPAR-γ Pro12Ala gene polymorphism. Eighteen (eleven males and seven females) of fifty patients (representing 36% of the patients group) have osteopenia with low bone mineral density (Z-score is −1 or less than 1). There was no statistically significant difference between BMD measurements in males and females. By comparing the frequency of 12 Ala gene polymorphisms between the patient group and the control group, we found that no statistically significant difference was detected. The BMD values were not significantly different between the groups of PPAR-γ Pro12Ala gene polymorphism. In conclusion, decreased BMD levels are frequent in β-thalassemia patients. PPAR-γ Pro12Ala gene polymorphism is not common in Egyptian patients with β-thalassemia. No significant relationship was found between the PPAR-γ Pro12Ala gene polymorphism and low BMD levels or osteopenia in Egyptian β-thalassemia patients. However, further studies on a larger population of Egyptian patients are needed to confirm this finding.
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