Clinico-Hematological Profile and Management of Children With Non-Transfusion Dependent Thalassemia (NTDT) at a Pediatric Center in Northern India

ABSTRACT

Objective: To study the clinico-hematological profile, complications, and management of children with non-transfusion dependent thalassemia (NTDT) in northern India. Method: We retrieved and analyzed the data of 69 children with NTDT diagnosed between January, 2006 to December, 2018, aged under 18 years from our unit’s records. Result: The participants mean (SD) age was 4.4 (3.1) years, and they presented with anemia (29%), jaundice (13%), hemolytic facies (13%), splenomegaly (87%), thromboembolism (2.9%) and pathological short stature (28.5%). The most common cause of NTDT was ?-thalassemia (45%), followed by either compound-heterozygous or homozygous for E?-thalassemia mutation. The most frequent single genotype observed was compound heterozygous for IVS1-5 (G>C) and codon 26 (G>A). The mean (SD) follow-up duration was 3.5 (2.4) years. On follow-up, 27 children (%) remained transfusion free, and 30 (%) needed occasional transfusions. 63% of patients initially presenting with pathological short stature showed improvement in growth. Amongst children older than 10 years (n=20), subclinical hypothyroidism was detected in 6 children and impaired glucose tolerance test in 1 child. Conclusion: Eß-thalassemia was the commonest cause of NTDT in this population.