Quality of life among adults with beta-thalassemia major in western Saudi Arabia

To assess the quality of life in the thalassemia adult patients and clarify how effective the management is of these patients and whether a change in care is warranted. In this cross-sectional study, adult thalassemia patients [>/= 18 years] of both genders, attending the day care unit in King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeeddah, Saudi Arabia were surveyed using SF-36 questionnaire. Data were collected between October 2012 and December 2012. The questions highlighted 3 health status scales; physical functioning [PF], emotional functioning [EF], and social functioning [SF]. Scores were analyzed using SPSS. Forty-eight adults were surveyed [mean +/- SD: 26.02 +/- 5.56]. These were made up of 60.4% males and 41.7% were Saudis. The frequency of blood transfusion was every 3 weeks in 81.3% of patients, but 18.8% were having transfusions less frequently. Half of our sampled patients were splenectomized [54.2%]. The PF score for the total sample was 61.4 [SD=22.7], the SF score was 75 [SD=26.4] and the EF score was 69.7 [SD= 21.6]; the SF and EF scores were lower in females and non-Saudis compared to male Saudis. The PF score in our sample was low compared to other regional studies; the SF and EF scores were low in females and non-Saudis

Quality of life among children with beta-thalassemia major treated in Western Saudi Arabia

To assess the quality of life among children and adolescents with thalassemia major. This cross-sectional study used the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory [PedsQL]. Children and adolescents with beta-thalassemia major who attended the Day Care Unit at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from October 2012 to February 2013 were surveyed. The questions highlighted 4 health status scales, namely physical functioning [PF], emotional functioning [EF], school performance [SC], and social functioning [SF]. Scores were calculated for each patient and data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. We recruited 46 children [60.9% males]. The median age of the sample was 12 years [range, 2-18 years]. Most patients [84.8%] had 3 weekly blood transfusions. The mean +/- SD physical functioning [PF] score was 57.2 +/- 25.9; the EF score was 74.1 +/- 20.3, SF score was 78.5 +/- 24, and SC score was 54.3 +/- 24.2. The PF score was significantly lower in patients with a family history of thalassemia [p=0.003], and in those whose families had low incomes [p=0.049]. Conversely, the SF score was significantly higher in school-educated patients [p=0.01]. The quality of life of thalassemic children is affected by multiple factors, such as family income and a family history of thalassemia. Education appeared to increase patient functionality. Supportive measures could improve the quality of life in thalassemic patients