ABSTRACT
Objective: To compare quality of life of children with thalassemia major who haveundergone stem cell transplantation with those on regular transfusion. Methods: Thestudy included 40 children who underwent transplantation and 40 children and 20 adults onregular transfusion and iron chelation therapy. The quality of life assessment was doneusing the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 Generic Core Scale. Results: The meantotal summary score, psychosocial summary score and physical score was 92, 91 and92.8, respectively in transplant group and 83, 82.7 and 83.6, respectively in children intransfusion group. The adult group on transfusion showed overall poorer scores of 74.9, 76and 73.9, respectively. The average scores in all domains were significantly (P<0.05) lowerand drop steeply in second decade in transfusion group. Conclusion: Allogeneic stem celltransplantation improves quality of life in thalassemia major.
ABSTRACT
To study the anthropometric ratios in parents (heterozygotes) of children with Fanconi anemia. The study was carried out in the Department of Hematology, Institute of Child Health & Hospital for Children, Chennai. Parents of children with Fanconi anemia were the subjects of the study. Applying standard instruments and methods, various body measurements were recorded. 31 fathers and 37 mothers were included in the study. A hundred male and female controls of the same ethnic group were also studied for the same parameters. The ratios were calculated and statistically analyzed. It was observed that fathers (male heterozygotes) had shorter forearms, the ratio of upper arm: forearm was significantly increased compared to male controls. In mothers (female heterozygotes) the inter-pupillary distance was increased, the ratio of head circumference to inter-pupillary distance was decreased compared to female controls.