Vol. 6, Issue 2, Part A (2024)

Background: Thalassemia are a group of hereditary blood disorders characterized by anomalies in the synthesis of the alpha and beta chains of hemoglobin resulting in variable phenotypes ranging from severe anemia to clinically asymptomatic individuals.

Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of Thalassemia according to male and female and blood groups in Baghdad, as well as determining the proportion of each type of Thalassemia, assessment of heterogeneity and epidemiology.

Methods: This is a patient's cohort study of Thalassemia in Baghdad. The study was conducted at the Thalassemia center in Ibn Albalady hospital/Baghdad; data were collected from December 2011 to march 2012. The study population comprised of 110 Thalassemia patients (45 males and 65 females), data were collected from patients using specially designed questionnaire and subsequently assessed for incidence and epidemiology of Thalassemia. Information obtained included age, gender, date of birth, shared diseases, duration of disease, history of Thalassemia in family, current medications, and splenectomy. Data were analyzed and results were obtained.

Results: There is a higher incidence rate of Thalassemia major compared to intermedia (85% vs. 14.5%),Thalassemia were more prevalent among female sex (59.1% vs. 40.9%) and those patients with blood groups O+ and A+ respectively (32.7%,30%),the majority of patients came from poor urban districts of Baghdad (75.5%), 52.7% of patients had at least one family member affected and only 21.8% have shared disease and 15.5% had splenectomy during course of the disease. No difference between thalassemia major VS minor were observed regarding other factors as gender, blood group, shared diseases, economic status and others, p<0.05.

Conclusion: The present study found higher proportion of Thalassemia major in Baghdad with majority of patients being female came from poor areas and blood group O+ and A+ with variable complications and having at least one family member affected.

Recommendation: the present study recommends using Hb electrophoresis in part of pre marriage investigations as a preventive tool to prevent the devastating consequences of Thalassemia.