Growth retardation among multi-transfused thalassemic patients in thalassamia center in Babylon Governorate

الملخص EN

Background : Growth retardation can occur as complication of thalassemia as early as the 1st or 2nd year of life but these abnormalities more prominent after the 6–8 years of life. Aims of Study : This study was carried out to determine : 1- rate of growth retardation among thalassemia patients in Babil thalassemia center . 2- the relationship of growth failure with certain variable including age , number of blood transfusion , serum ferritin , mean hemoglobin level, size of spleen , type of thalassemia and gender of the patients . Patient and Methods: A prospective study was conducted on 110 patient , ( 67 male , 43 female) with ß- thalassemia , classified as 79 patients with ß- thalassemia major , 23 patient ß–thalassemia intermediate and 8 patients with sickle cell thalassemia , Who were attending the thalassemia center of Babylon maternity and children hospital , from period of march to August 2009 , their age range from one year to 20 years with mean age of 9 ± 2 years. Control group : One hundred healthy children were taken as control group, their age ranged from 1-15 years, with mean age 7± 2.3years , non of them had history of blood transfusion and they had no family history of hemoglobinopathy . Result : Thalassemic patients developed 45.5 % short stature and 40 % weight failure, in comparison to control group (4 % short stature, 8 % weight failure).

Growth retardation was affected by age, increased number of blood transfusion, size of spleen, serum ferritin and hemoglobin level, while there is no difference regarding type of thalassaemia or gender. Conclusions : Growth is significantly affected by thalassaemia and different factors play a role. Recommendations : This study emphasized the importance of maintenance of normalized hemoglobin level, good monitoring of growth parameter and iron over load with optimal iron chelation therapy.