Assessment of Quality of Life in Thalassemic Patients at Assiut University Hospital: A Single-center Experience
The thalassemias are a group of inherited hematologic disorders caused by defects in the synthesis of one or more of the hemoglobin chains \[1\]. Thalassemia are classified into the alpha (α) and (β) thalassemia, which contain deficits in (α) and (β) globin production respectively (α)thalassemia are caused by decreased production of alpha-globin chains from chromosome 16. There are 4 types of (α) thalassemia: thalassemia silent carrier thalassemia carrier . Hemoglobin H disease thalassemia major Beta-thalassemia are caused by point mutations or more rarely deletions in the β-globin gene on chromosome 11, leading to reduced (β+) or absent (β0) synthesis of the β chains of hemoglobin. Imbalances of globin chains cause hemolysis and impair erythropoiesis \[4-7\]. β-thalassemia can be classified into: Beta Thalassemia major, Beta Thalassemia intermedia, Beta Thalassemia minor Thalassemia is a chronic disease that presents a range of serious clinical and psychological challenges. The effects of thalassemia on physical health can lead to physical deformity, growth retardation, and delayed puberty \[9, 10\]. Its impact on physical appearance, e.g., bone deformities and short stature, also contributes to a poor self-image \[10, 11\]. Severe complications such as heart failure, cardiac arrhythmia, liver disease, endocrine complications, and infections are common among thalassemia patients \[8, 12\].
• Thalassemic patients more than 18 years old.