Abstract Introduction: Thalassemia is the most common hereditary disease in the world that is widespread in some countries including the countries around the Mediterranean Sea as well as Iran. Based on the studies performed, the prevalence rate of thalassemia minor in Rasht-city is 8.5% and the prevalence rate of thalassemia major is in a ratio of 1 to 1000 population. Since this disease is an incurable chronic one, the treatment regimens are merely supportive. Obviously, the availability of a regular, appropriate method for treatment of these patients can assist them to better tolerate the sufferings from the treatment. Objective: This study was performed in order to investigate the demographic, laboratory, and clinical data of patients with thalassemia major undergoing the treatment of permanent blood transfusion in Hefdah-Shahrivar Teaching Hospital in Rasht-City and in order to evaluate their treatments. Materials and Methods: In this a descriptive study, retrospective and prospective data were gathered and 400 patients with thalassemia major who referred to Hefdah- Shahriver Hospital of Rasht in 2002 almost monthly for blood transfusion and check-up, were studied. In addition to the demographic data, in dices such as average hemoglobin level before the blood transfusion, the interval between the two periods of transfusion, annual blood need, the volume of blood transfusion bags, heart disease, megalosplenia, and splenectomy were recorded for them. Results: In this study, 50.25% of the cases were males and 49.75% females. Mean age of patients was 15.73 ± 5.77 years.32.7% of the families had 5 children or more and 30% of patients were the first child of their family. Mean age for initiation of blood transfusion was 31.67±23.39 years. Only 11.1% of patients with thalassemia major had a mean hemoglobin level of 9.5 gr/dL before the transfusion and less than one half of patients (45.8%) had mean intervals of blood transfusion less than 28 days. Meanwhile, about one third of patients had undergone splenectomy .In this study, there was a significant relation between the education level of the father and the economic level of the family with regular and early visits of patients for blood transfusion. Conclusion: It appears that intervals of blood transfusion compared to the earlier studies have had an optimal trend towards shortening but until achieving the optimum hemoglobin level before the blood transfusion, which is higher than 9.5 g/dl according to the order of WHO, there is still a long way ahead. Obviously, regular annual studies can show upward trend or even downward trend for adequacy of treatment in these patients.

Keywords: Blood Trausfusion, Splenectomy, Thalassemia-Therapy

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