ANALYSIS OF COMPLICATIONS AND ABNORMAL CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THALASSEMIA MAJOR: A QUESTIONNAIRE BASED STUDY

In this survey, we examined the associated complications and conditions of the patients suffering with Beta Thalassemia major. We focused on major factors which can be helpful to critically understand, diagnose and treat this hematological disorder. This study was conducted at Al-Mustafa Medical Centre, Karachi, Pakistan, from September 2017 to March 2018. A questionnaire was prepared to collect the data and questions were directly asked either from the patient and/or their attendants. Majority of the patients were the part of our survey range between the ages of 1 to 20 years. All the age groups showed the associated complications and different abnormal body conditions. From the total 152 patients, 81 were males and 71 were females. In all patients; fatigue, weakness and pale yellow skin was observed only when blood level becomes low. Among all the patients, 48 (31.57%) patients showed slow physical growth, 38 (25%) patients complained of abdominal swelling, 68 (44.73%) patients were excreting dark urine, 50 (32.89%) patients had enlarged spleen and 4 patients have experienced splenectomy. In case of treatment options, 128 (84.21%) patients were on blood transfusions while the rest 24 (15.7%) were taking hydroxyurea tablets. In addition to this, it was also noticed that the parents of 72.36 % patients have cousin marriages. Male and female both genders equally experience thalassemia and its related complications. Lack of awareness and knowledge was found in the families which were the part of our study. As this disease is becoming common and prevailing worldwide, government should take serious measures on conducting awareness sessions and educating people that how cousin marriages may be the leading cause of this disease, making the life of their own child difficult.