FACTORS AFFECTING HEALTH RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE IN ADULT PATIENTS WITH BETA-THALASSEMIA MAJOR

Area of Science:

• Hematology
• Public Health
• Quality of Life Research

Background:

• Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is crucial for understanding patient perspectives on disease impact.
• HRQoL assessment in thalassemia can inform treatment decisions and predict outcomes.
• Beta-thalassemia major significantly affects patients' lives, necessitating HRQoL evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the HRQoL of adult beta-thalassemia major patients with healthy controls.
• To identify specific domains of HRQoL most affected in beta-thalassemia major.
• To explore factors influencing HRQoL in this patient population.

Main Methods:

• A case-control study involving 62 adult beta-thalassemia major patients and 50 healthy controls.
• Utilized the RAND Short Form 36 (SF-36) Questionnaire to measure HRQoL.
• Data analyzed using SPSS software.

Main Results:

• HRQoL scores were significantly lower in thalassemia patients (66.35%) versus controls (84.32%) (P<0.0005).
• All SF-36 domains, except role emotional, showed reduced scores in patients.
• General health was the most affected domain; social function was least affected. Female gender and heart failure were associated with lower scores in specific domains.

Conclusions:

• Beta-thalassemia major is associated with significantly diminished HRQoL compared to healthy individuals.
• Further multicenter research is required to identify predictors of lower HRQoL.
• Insights from HRQoL studies are vital for optimizing thalassemia management and treatment choices.