Journal of
Public Health and Epidemiology

  • Abbreviation: J. Public Health Epidemiol.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 2141-2316
  • DOI: 10.5897/JPHE
  • Start Year: 2009
  • Published Articles: 662

Full Length Research Paper

Beta thalassemia major: The Moroccan experience

Agouzal 1*, A. Arfaoui1, A. Quyou1 and M. Khattab2
1Biological Assays Laboratory, Ibn Tofail University, Morocco. 2Hemato-oncology Service, Ibn Sina hospital, Rabat, Morocco.
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 27 February 2010
  •  Published: 30 April 2010

Abstract

Thalassemia has been described originally around the Mediterranean Sea. The main objective of this study is to find out how Morocco deals with it. It is a retrospective study which has been done in the hemato-oncology service that treats patients with beta thalassemia major who are registered for receiving blood transfusions. With sample size of 78, demographics, clinical and family data were collected and descriptive statistics were done in the Biological Assays Laboratory in Kenitra, which lasted for three months. Age ranges from 5 to 10 years. 20 and 30 kg is the most common weight of patients with thalassemia. 61% are issued from consanguineous marriages. All patients are transfused but only 14% are not chelated as they have a ferritinnemia rate < 1000 ng/ml. Among these patients 74% are low-income earners. These results confirm that thalassemia is a reality in our country. A public health policy towards this disease is highly recommended.

 

Key words: Beta thalassemia major, complications, treatments, consanguinity, Morocco.