Premium
When to consider transfusion therapy for patients with non‐transfusion‐dependent thalassaemia
Author(s) -
Taher A. T.,
Radwan A.,
Viprakasit V.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
vox sanguinis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.68
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1423-0410
pISSN - 0042-9007
DOI - 10.1111/vox.12201
Subject(s) - medicine , blood transfusion , incidence (geometry) , transfusion therapy , thalassemia , disease , pediatrics , intensive care medicine , physics , optics
Non‐transfusion‐dependent thalassaemia ( NTDT ) refers to all thalassaemia disease phenotypes that do not require regular blood transfusions for survival. Thalassaemia disorders were traditionally concentrated along the tropical belt stretching from sub‐ S aharan A frica through the M editerranean region and the M iddle E ast to S outh and S outh‐ E ast A sia, but global migration has led to increased incidence in N orth A merica and N orthern E urope. Transfusionists may be familiar with β‐thalassaemia major because of the lifelong transfusions needed by these patients. Although patients with NTDT do not require regular transfusions for survival, they may require transfusions in some instances such as pregnancy, infection or growth failure. The complications associated with NTDT can be severe if not properly managed, and many are directly related to chronic anaemia. Awareness of NTDT is important, and this review will outline the factors that should be taken into consideration when deciding whether to initiate and properly plan for transfusion therapy in these patients in terms of transfusion interval and duration of treatment.