Otorhinolaryngologic manifestations in thalassemia major patients

ABSTRACT

In thalassemia major, extramedulary hematopoiesis results in bony deformities such as sever malocclusion in the head and neck, delayed pneumatization of paranasal sinuses and so on. Also, there are many systemic and iatrogenic problems that may affect the head and neck region. The purpose of this study was to determine otorhinolaryngologic manifestations as clinical diseases in thalassemia major patients. In a cross sectional study 190 thalassemia major patients were evaluated [by history and physical examination] for snoring, epistaxis, nasal obstruction, sinusitis, temporomandibular joint [TMJ] pain and TMJ dislocation, tinnitus and hearing loss. Radiological studies of the skull and paranasal sinuses and audiological tests were performed. The data was analyzed in different age groups with chi2 test. Relative frequency of some otorhinolaryngologic manifestations in this population was high. The differences between some clinical diseases as TMJ pain, and epistaxis in different age groups were statistically significant. Thalassemia major increases some clinical diseases in the Otolarygology field. With early diagnosis and early treatment many of them may be prevented