Affiliations 

  • 1 L L Chan, FRCP. Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Lembah Pantai, Kuala Lumpur
  • 2 H P Lin, FRCP. Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Lembah Pantai, Kuala Lumpur
  • 3 W A Ariffin, FRCP. Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Lembah Pantai, Kuala Lumpur
  • 4 H Ariffin, MRCP. Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Lembah Pantai, Kuala Lumpur
Med J Malaysia, 2001 Dec;56(4):435-40.
PMID: 12014762

Abstract

The current treatment options for beta thalassaemia major patients include conservative treatment with blood cell transfusions and iron chelation or stem cell transplantation. Regular blood transfusions inevitably lead to multi-organ haemosiderosis and are attended by risks of blood-borne infections. Results from stem cell transplantation are good and suggest that this should be offered as first line therapy when a matched sibling donor is available because the patient is often cured and able to live a normal life. Of 38 Malaysian children who underwent bone marrow or cord blood transplantations using matched sibling donors, 29 (76%) are now cured.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.