Ghufranud Din1, Sajid Malik2, Ihsan Ali1, Safia Ahmed1, Javid Iqbal Dasti3. 1. Department of Microbiology, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan. 2. Human Genetics Program, Department of Animal Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan. 3. Department of Microbiology, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan. Electronic address: javiddashti@yahoo.com.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate current situation regarding the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in thalassemic patients visiting a thalassemia centre in Rawalpindi District, Pakistan for supportive therapy. METHODS: Serum samples were screened for hepatitis B surface antigen and anti-HCV by using commercially available ELISA kit. Micro-plate reader was used to perform analysis based on the absorbance/cut-off ratios. Samples were considered positive or negative. Results from ELISA were analyzed statistically. RESULTS: A total of 95 subjects were observed to have β-thalassemia major (96%) and β-thalassemia intermedia (4%). Among these, 47 (49%) were detected positive for anti-HCV antibodies and three for hepatitis B surface antigen. All recruited subjects were observed for therapy/medication behavior and clinical complications. About 83 (87%) patients were on chelation therapy, and overall complications (hepatomegaly, splenomegaly and splenectomy) were observed in 81% individuals. The distribution of disease status (thalassemia and hepatitis) was not significantly associated with gender, age, origin, province, socio-economic status and parental marriage type (P>0.05). The distributions of ferritin levels, therapy/medication and complications were assessed across demographic variables. Thalassemic subjects were distributed with respect to their sporadic and familial presentations. Among the familial cases (n=35), a total of 93 subjects were found to be affected. Parity was scored for the index cases, and majority belonged to second parity (29%), followed by first and third parities (25% and 15%, respectively). The sibship size was increasing with increasing parity level. CONCLUSIONS: Although standardized blood screening procedures are supposed to be implemented, higher prevalence of HCV in thalassemic patients requires greater attention in Pakistan. Furthermore, a poor compliance regarding iron chelation therapy has been observed in this study.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate current situation regarding the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in thalassemicpatients visiting a thalassemia centre in Rawalpindi District, Pakistan for supportive therapy. METHODS: Serum samples were screened for hepatitis B surface antigen and anti-HCV by using commercially available ELISA kit. Micro-plate reader was used to perform analysis based on the absorbance/cut-off ratios. Samples were considered positive or negative. Results from ELISA were analyzed statistically. RESULTS: A total of 95 subjects were observed to have β-thalassemia major (96%) and β-thalassemia intermedia (4%). Among these, 47 (49%) were detected positive for anti-HCV antibodies and three for hepatitis B surface antigen. All recruited subjects were observed for therapy/medication behavior and clinical complications. About 83 (87%) patients were on chelation therapy, and overall complications (hepatomegaly, splenomegaly and splenectomy) were observed in 81% individuals. The distribution of disease status (thalassemia and hepatitis) was not significantly associated with gender, age, origin, province, socio-economic status and parental marriage type (P>0.05). The distributions of ferritin levels, therapy/medication and complications were assessed across demographic variables. Thalassemic subjects were distributed with respect to their sporadic and familial presentations. Among the familial cases (n=35), a total of 93 subjects were found to be affected. Parity was scored for the index cases, and majority belonged to second parity (29%), followed by first and third parities (25% and 15%, respectively). The sibship size was increasing with increasing parity level. CONCLUSIONS: Although standardized blood screening procedures are supposed to be implemented, higher prevalence of HCV in thalassemicpatients requires greater attention in Pakistan. Furthermore, a poor compliance regarding iron chelation therapy has been observed in this study.
Authors: Khaled M Salama; Ola M Ibrahim; Ahmed M Kaddah; Samia Boseila; Leila Abu Ismail; May M Abdel Hamid Journal: Open Access Maced J Med Sci Date: 2015-05-28
Authors: Rizwan Ahmed Kiani; Muhammad Anwar; Usman Waheed; Muhammad Javaid Asad; Saleem Abbasi; Hasan Abbas Zaheer Journal: J Blood Transfus Date: 2016-07-31