Beta Thalassemia

Researchers from Christian Medical College, Medical College detail findings in thalassemia

Beta Thalassemia Library Library Home This article was published in Hematology Week, which you can subscribe to online.

"Age and liver size as continuous variables were significantly associated with an adverse outcome. Using a receiver operator characteristics curve plot analysis, cutoff values of 7 years and 5 cm for age and liver size, respectively, were associated with the highest likelihood ratio of an adverse impact. On a multivariate analysis age >= 7 years and liver size >= 5 cm had a significant impact on event free survival (EFS) (relative risk 2.2 and 2.7., P values .014 and .000, respectively). Using these 2 variables, patients were categorized as high risk if they were >= 7 years and had a liver size >= 5 cm (n = 41; all belonged to Class III). The 5-year EFS and overall survival (OS) in this high-risk group was 23.93 +/- 6.88 and 39.01 +/- 7.96, whereas in the remaining Class III patients (n = 64) it was 70.3 +/- 6.06 and 78.3 +/- 5.5, respectively. This risk stratification identifies a significant subset (39 0) of patients among those in Class III who have a poor outcome with a conventional myeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplantation," wrote V. Mathews and colleagues, Christian Medical College, Medical College.

The researchers concluded: "Patients in this high-risk group would probably benefit from novel therapeutic approaches."

Mathews and colleagues published their study in Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation (A new stratification strategy that identifies a subset of class III patients with an adverse prognosis among children with beta thalassemia major undergoing a matched related allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, 2007;13(8):889-894).

Additional information can be obtained by contacting V. Mathews, Christian Medical College, Dept. of Hematology, Vellore 632004, Tamil Nadu, India.

The publisher of the journal Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation can be contacted at: Elsevier Science Inc., 360 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10010-1710, USA.

Keywords: India, Vellore, Hematology, Thalassemia, Christian Medical College, Medical College.

This article was prepared by Hematology Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2007, Hematology Week via NewsRx.com.