@article{Bejaoui_Guirat_2013, title={BETA THALASSEMIA MAJOR IN A DEVELOPING COUNTRY: EPIDEMIOLOGICAL, CLINICAL AND EVOLUTIONARY ASPECT}, volume={5}, url={https://www.mjhid.org/mjhid/article/view/2013.002}, DOI={10.4084/mjhid.2013.002}, abstractNote={<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 150%; text-indent: 35.4pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin;">Beta-thalassemia major (TM) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>remains to be one of the major health problems particularly in developing countries. Tunisia is a part of the Mediterranean countries mostly affected by this disease which is highly concentrated in small towns in families with low-income earners. The main objectives of this study are to provide a description of the demographic, clinical features and transfusion-related complications <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">in </span>patients with TM living in Tunisia. A standardized questionnaire was sent to clinicians throughout 33 different medical institutions caring for thalassemic patients. 391</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 150%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin;"> transfusion dependant thalassemic patients with a</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin;"> median</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 150%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin;"> age of 10.7 years (range 3 months- 31 years) were included in the study.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin;">The majority were originated from the north west of the country .A moderate overload between 1501 and 2500ng/ml was found in 61patients, while 81 patients (26.9%) had ferritin level more than 2500 ng/ml and greater than 5000ng/ml in 21 patients (6.9%). 51 patients died from complications related to their disease. Heart failure was the main cause of death. The incidence of cardiac, endocrine, and infectious complications will be reviewed.<span style="color: black;"> Preventive measures such as health education, carrier screening and premarital screening remain the best ways for lowering the incidence of these diseases, which might be reflected in financial saving, social benefits and health benefits.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none;" class="MsoNormal"><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi;"> </span></strong></p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none;" class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi;"> </span></p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span>}, number={1}, journal={Mediterranean Journal of Hematology and Infectious Diseases}, author={Bejaoui, Mohamed and Guirat, Naouel}, year={2013}, month={Jan.}, pages={e2013002} }