Prevalance and Risk Factors for Complications in Children With B- Thalassemia Major

Thalassemia is the most common monogenic disorder in the world .Thalassemia major (beta-thalassemia) affects a significant segment of the population in certain areas of the world. Alterations in migration patterns have changed the geographic distribution of this disease and made it a worldwide health problem with a high frequency in Africa, India, Southeast Asia and the Mediterranean area.

The combination of transfusion and chelation therapy has dramatically extended the life expectancy of these patients, thus transforming thalassemia from a rapidly fatal disease of childhood to a chronic illness compatible with a prolonged life. On the other hand, frequent blood transfusions leading to iron overload and the chronic nature of the disease have contributed to a whole new spectrum of complications in adolescents and young adults suffering from thalassemia major.

Complications associated with beta thalassemia, aside from the aforementioned anemia, are as follows

• Extramedullary hematopoiesis
• Asplenia secondary to splenectomy
• Medical complications from long-term transfusional therapy - Iron overload and transfusion-associated infections (eg, hepatitis) Increased risk for infections resulting from asplenia (eg, encapsulated organisms such as pneumococcus) or from iron overload (eg, Yersinia species))
• Cholelithiasis (eg, bilirubin stones) Study of the prevelance and risk fators responsible for thalassemia complication can help in adopting appropriating strategies for management of these complication.