Demographics, clinical characteristics, and real-world treatment patterns among patients with beta-thalassemia: a retrospective medical record abstraction study.

BACKGROUND

Beta-thalassemias (BTs) are characterized by deficient or absent synthesis of the beta-globin subunit, leading to anemia. Patient characteristics and treatment patterns in these patients may vary.

OBJECTIVE

This retrospective study evaluated demographics, clinical characteristics, and treatment patterns in patients with transfusion-dependent BT (TDT) and non-transfusion-dependent BT (NTDT).

METHODS

Medical records of adults with TDT or NTDT in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, and Canada with ⩾5 years of history within the practice were evaluated.

RESULTS

Among patients with TDT ( = 118), mean (standard deviation (SD)) age was 36.1 (11.9) years, and 28.8% were female; among patients with NTDT ( = 96), mean (SD) age was 36.6 (9.8) years, and 38.5% were female. Among patients with TDT, 21.2% received transfusions every 2 weeks or more frequently, 28.8% every 3 weeks, 26.3% every 4 weeks, and 21.2% less frequently than 4 weeks. Patients with TDT had a mean (SD) of 2.4 (0.6) units of blood transfused per transfusion, with a pretransfusion hemoglobin (Hb) level of 6.9 (1.3). In total, 84.4% of patients with NTDT had at least one transfusion, and the mean (SD) number of transfusions among patients with NTDT was 15.9 (15.9). Among patients with NTDT, the mean (SD) units of blood per transfusion were 2.2 (0.6) units, and the mean (SD) Hb level prior to transfusion was 7.4 (1.2) g/dL. Iron chelation therapy was received by 70.3% of TDT patients and 45.8% of NTDT patients.

CONCLUSION

This study found that both patients with NTDT and TDT have low pretransfusion Hb levels. A high number of patients, especially patients with TDT, were not treated according to the current recommendations on target hemoglobin level, thereby highlighting the importance of national reference centers for improving long-term outcomes and quality of life in these patients.