Evaluation of survival in medically treated patients with homozygous beta thalassemia by the quick hit method.

Articles published in medical journals often evaluate the survival and/or prognosis of a medical impairment. The conclusions of these articles can be very misleading if correct mortality methodology is not utilized. Authors evaluating survival in a cohort of individuals with Thalassemia Major concluded the prognosis was excellent. This was based solely on observed mortality. When the cohort is properly compared to the expected mortality of a similar nonimpaired population the result is quite different. Their survival is far from excellent. This article uses the quick hit method to evaluate the survival of this cohort having Thalassemia Major.