[Management of patients with major beta thalassemia in a paediatric department in the south of Tunisia: About 26 cases].

AIM: Our objectives were to assess the management of patients with major thalassemia and identify the various complications and monitoring means.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 26 β-thalassemic patients in the department of paediatrics, Hédi Chaker hospital, Sfax, Tunisia during a period of 25 years (from 1 January 1990 to 31 December 2014).

RESULTS: The mean age of the beginning of transfusion was 11.5 months. That was with phenotyped red blood cells but not leukodepleted blood. Twenty-three patients received chelation. Before 2001, all patients received deferoxamine, poor adherence to this treatment was observed in 66% of cases. It was replaced by deferiprone since 2006 and deferasirox since 2009. A combination of 2 or 3 chelators was indicated for four patients. A total splenectomy was performed in 10 cases patients; it was due to hypersplenism. The bone marrow transplant was performed for one patient at the age of 9 year but it was rejected. Many complications were detected: endocrine complications (19 cases), immune complications (9 cases), gallbladder stones (5 cases), cardiac complications (4 cases), osteoporosis (3 cases), infectious complications (3 cases) and thromboembolic complications (2 cases). We noted some side effects related to chelation therapy in twelve cases. Four patients were dead.

CONCLUSION: Improving the medical care of homozygous β-thalassemic children requires adherence to transfusion regimen and chelation therapy. Bone marrow transplantation remains the only possible curative therapy, which must be promoted in our country.