Long Term Outcomes in β Thalassemia Major

Study Summary

Beta thalassemia (β-thalassemia) is the most common genetic disease worldwide. Individuals with thalassemia are born with a defect in hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to vital organs such as the brain, heart, lungs and kidneys. Thalassemia major is a hereditary anemia characterized by little or no ß-globin production, which results in hemolysis (breakdown or destruction of red blood cells) due to the formation of unstable alpha-globin tetramers and ineffective erythropoiesis which is uniformly fatal in the absence of regular transfusions. Although improvements in conservative treatment have improved the prognosis of thalassemia considerably disease and transfusion related complications in affected patients progress over time, causing severe morbidity and shortened life expectancy. Substantial lifelong health care expenses are also involved, often a financial burden for families and unsustainable in most developing countries. The hypothesis is that patients who had beta thalassemia who have undergone a hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) and are \>1 year post-HSCT will have less long term comorbidities and a higher quality of life (QOL) as compared to those with beta thalassemia who are maintained on supportive care. In order to assess quality of life, a quality of life questionnaire will be asked. Extraction of data from the patient's medical record will also be used to determine any comorbidities that have occurred after either a HSCT or supportive care therapy.