Angioid streaks in homozygous beta thalassemia.

One hundred patients with homozygous beta thalassemia (62 had beta thalassemia major and 38 had beta thalassemia intermedia) were examined by ophthalmoscopy for angioid streaks. Angioid streaks were found in 20 patients from both the beta thalassemia major and beta thalassemia intermedia groups (nine and 11 patients, respectively). A positive correlation was found between age and angioid streaks (P = .0017), as was a difference in the prevalence of angioid streaks between the two forms of the disease (P = .079). Additionally, a significant correlation was noted between chelating therapy and the prevalence of angioid streaks (P = .039). However, using multivariate analysis to correct for the effects of age, the correlation of angioid streaks with the form of disease disappeared, whereas the level of significance between chelation therapy and angioid streaks was reduced (P = .05). The high frequency of angioid streaks observed in patients with beta thalassemia and the severe complications observed in one patient render a thorough ophthalmoscopic examination and follow-up of such patients necessary for both early diagnosis and possible therapeutic intervention.