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Drahos J, Boateng-Kuffour A, Calvert M, Levine L, Dongha N, Li N, Pakbaz Z, Shah F, Martin AP. Health-Related Quality-of-Life Impacts Associated with Transfusion-Dependent β-Thalassemia in the USA and UK: A Qualitative Assessment. THE PATIENT 2024:10.1007/s40271-024-00678-7. [PMID: 38530509 DOI: 10.1007/s40271-024-00678-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individuals living with transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia (TDT) experience reduced health-related quality of life due to fatigue and chronic pain, which cause disruptions to daily life. Currently, limited qualitative data exist that describe these impacts. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to examine the ways in which symptoms and current treatments of TDT impact health-related quality of life, to holistically describe the humanistic burden of TDT, and to identify the unmet needs of individuals living with TDT. METHODS Adults (aged ≥ 18 years) with TDT and caregivers of adolescents (aged 12‒17 years) with TDT participated in semi-structured one-on-one virtual interviews and focus group discussions. Interviews were conducted in the USA and UK and lasted approximately 60 minutes. After transcription, the interviews were analyzed thematically using a framework approach. RESULTS A total of ten interviews/focus group discussions (six interviews and four focus group discussions) were conducted with 14 adults with TDT and two caregivers of adolescents with TDT. A framework analysis revealed five themes describing health-related quality of life (negative impacts on daily activities, social life, family life, work and education, and psychological well-being) and three themes describing the lived experience of TDT (impact of red blood cell transfusions and iron chelation therapy, treatment, and stigma). Physical, psychological, and treatment-related factors contributed to negative impacts on daily activities, social and family life, and work and education. Concerns about reduced lifespan, relationships and family planning, and financial independence were detrimental to participants' mental well-being. Participants reported having high resilience to the many physical and psychological challenges of living with TDT. A lack of TDT-specific knowledge among healthcare professionals, particularly regarding chronic pain associated with the disease, left some participants feeling ignored or undermined. Additionally, many participants experienced stigma and were reluctant to disclose their disease to others. CONCLUSIONS Individuals living with TDT experience substantial negative impacts on health-related quality of life that disrupt their daily lives, disruptions that are intensified by inadequate healthcare interactions, demanding treatment schedules, and stigma. Our study highlights the unmet needs of individuals living with TDT, especially for alternative treatments that reduce or eliminate the need for red blood cell transfusions and iron chelation therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Drahos
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, 50 Northern Avenue, Boston, MA, 02210, USA.
| | | | - Melanie Calvert
- Centre for Patient-Reported Outcomes Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
- National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
- NIHR Applied Research Collaboration, West Midlands, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
- NIHR Blood and Transplant Research Unit in Precision Transplant and Cellular Therapeutics, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | | | | | - Nanxin Li
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, 50 Northern Avenue, Boston, MA, 02210, USA
| | - Zahra Pakbaz
- Division of Hematology Oncology, University of California Irvine School of Medicine, Orange, CA, USA
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Corbacioglu S, Frangoul H, Locatelli F, Hobbs W, Walters M. Defining curative endpoints for transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia in the era of gene therapy and gene editing. Am J Hematol 2024; 99:422-429. [PMID: 38100154 DOI: 10.1002/ajh.27166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
β-thalassemia is a monogenic disease that results in varying degrees of anemia. In the most severe form, known as transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia (TDT), the clinical hallmarks are ineffective erythropoiesis and a requirement of regular, life-long red blood cell transfusions, with the development of secondary clinical complications such as iron overload, end-organ damage, and a risk of early mortality. With the exception of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation, current treatments for TDT address disease symptoms and not the underlying cause of disease. Recently, a growing number of gene addition and gene editing-based treatments for patients with TDT with the potential to provide a one-time functional cure have entered clinical trials. A key challenge in the design and evaluation of these trials is selecting endpoints to evaluate if these novel genetic therapies have a curative versus an ameliorative effect. Here, we present an overview of the pathophysiology of TDT, review emerging gene addition or gene editing therapeutic approaches for TDT currently in clinical trials, and identify a series of endpoints that can quantify therapeutic effects, including a curative outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Haydar Frangoul
- Sarah Cannon Research Institute and the Children's Hospital at TriStar Centennial, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Franco Locatelli
- IRCCS, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino, Gesù Rome, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
| | - William Hobbs
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mark Walters
- Department of Pediatrics, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland, Oakland, California, USA
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Klonizakis P, Roy N, Papatsouma I, Mainou M, Christodoulou I, Pantelidou D, Kokkota S, Diamantidis M, Kourakli A, Lazaris V, Andriopoulos D, Tsapas A, Klaassen RJ, Vlachaki E. A Cross-Sectional, Multicentric, Disease-Specific, Health-Related Quality of Life Study in Greek Transfusion Dependent Thalassemia Patients. Healthcare (Basel) 2024; 12:524. [PMID: 38470634 PMCID: PMC10931193 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12050524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The assessment of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in thalassemia offers a holistic approach to the disease and facilitates better communication between physicians and patients. This study aimed to evaluate the HRQoL of transfusion-dependent thalassemia (TDT) patients in Greece. This was a multicentric, cross-sectional study conducted in 2017 involving 283 adult TDT patients. All participants completed a set of two QoL questionnaires, the generic SF-36v2 and the disease-specific TranQol. Demographic and clinical characteristics were used to predefine patient subgroups. Significant factors identified in the univariate analysis were entered into a multivariate analysis to assess their effect on HRQoL. The SF-36 scores of TDT patients were consistently lower compared to the general population in Greece. The mean summary score of TranQol was relatively high (71 ± 14%), exceeding levels observed in national surveys in other countries. Employment emerged as the most significant independent factor associated with better HRQoL, whereas age had the most significant negative effect. This study represents the first comprehensive QoL assessment of a representative sample of the TDT population in Greece. The implementation of TranQol allowed for the quantification of HRQoL in Greece, establishing a baseline for future follow-up, and identifying more vulnerable patient subgroups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippos Klonizakis
- Adults Thalassemia Unit-2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Aristotle University, Hippokration General Hospital Thessaloniki, 54642 Thessaloniki, Greece; (M.M.); (I.C.); (E.V.)
| | - Noémi Roy
- Department of Haematology, Oxford University Hospitals, NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford OX3 0AG, UK;
| | - Ioanna Papatsouma
- Department of Mathematics, Imperial College London, London SW7 2BP, UK;
| | - Maria Mainou
- Adults Thalassemia Unit-2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Aristotle University, Hippokration General Hospital Thessaloniki, 54642 Thessaloniki, Greece; (M.M.); (I.C.); (E.V.)
| | - Ioanna Christodoulou
- Adults Thalassemia Unit-2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Aristotle University, Hippokration General Hospital Thessaloniki, 54642 Thessaloniki, Greece; (M.M.); (I.C.); (E.V.)
| | - Despina Pantelidou
- Thalassemia Unit, AHEPA General Hospital of Thessaloniki, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece; (D.P.); (S.K.)
| | - Smaro Kokkota
- Thalassemia Unit, AHEPA General Hospital of Thessaloniki, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece; (D.P.); (S.K.)
| | - Michael Diamantidis
- Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Disease Unit, General Hospital of Larissa, 41110 Larissa, Greece;
| | - Alexandra Kourakli
- Thalassemia and Hemoglobinopathies Center, University Hospital of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece; (A.K.); (V.L.)
| | - Vasileios Lazaris
- Thalassemia and Hemoglobinopathies Center, University Hospital of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece; (A.K.); (V.L.)
| | - Dimitrios Andriopoulos
- Haemato-Oncology Department, Royal Marsden Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London SW3 6JJ, UK;
| | - Apostolos Tsapas
- 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Aristotle University, Hippokration General Hospital of Thessaloniki, 54642 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Robert J. Klaassen
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Ottawa, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada;
| | - Efthymia Vlachaki
- Adults Thalassemia Unit-2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Aristotle University, Hippokration General Hospital Thessaloniki, 54642 Thessaloniki, Greece; (M.M.); (I.C.); (E.V.)
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Shah R, Badawy SM. Health-related quality of life with standard and curative therapies in thalassemia: A narrative literature review. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2024; 1532:50-62. [PMID: 38270933 PMCID: PMC10923063 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.15100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is a patient-reported outcome that assesses the impact of a disease or illness on different domains of a patient's life. Different general and disease-specific measures can be used to evaluate HRQOL. This article aimed to summarize the evidence for HRQOL among patients with transfusion-dependent (TDT) and non-transfusion-dependent thalassemia (NTDT). We included HRQOL data related to standard therapy with blood transfusions, iron chelation, and/or luspatercept in TDT and NTDT, as well as curative therapies for TDT, including hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) and gene therapy. Patients with thalassemia had worse HRQOL scores compared to the general population, and chronic pain was seen to increase in frequency and severity over time with age. NTDT patients reported worse physical health and functioning, mental health, general health, and vitality than TDT patients. However, TDT patients reported worse pain, change in health, and social support than NTDT. Most therapies improved overall HRQOL among thalassemia patients. Deferasirox, an oral iron chelator, was associated with more HRQOL benefits compared to deferoxamine, an intravenous iron chelator. Luspatercept showed clinically meaningful improvement in physical functioning among TDT and NTDT. Furthermore, HSCT and gene therapy were associated with better physical, emotional, and mental domains scores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richa Shah
- Department of Medical Education, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Sherif M. Badawy
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Stem Cell Transplant, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Kattamis A, Voskaridou E, Delicou S, Klironomos E, Lafiatis I, Petropoulou F, Diamantidis MD, Lafioniatis S, Evliati L, Kapsali E, Karvounis‐Marolachakis K, Timotheatou D, Deligianni C, Viktoratos P, Kourakli A. Real-world complication burden and disease management paradigms in transfusion-related β-thalassaemia in Greece: Results from ULYSSES, an epidemiological, multicentre, retrospective cross-sectional study. EJHAEM 2023; 4:569-581. [PMID: 37601860 PMCID: PMC10435690 DOI: 10.1002/jha2.695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
Patients with transfusion-dependent beta (β)-thalassaemia experience a broad range of complications. ULYSSES, an epidemiological, multicentre, retrospective cross-sectional study, aimed to assess the prevalence and severity of treatment and disease complications, capture disease management and identify predictors of complications in patients with transfusion-dependent β-thalassaemia, treated in routine settings in Greece. Eligible patients were adults diagnosed with β-thalassaemia ≥12 months before enrolment and having received ≥6 red blood cell (RBC) units (excluding elective surgery) with no transfusion-free period ≥35 days in the 24 weeks before enrolment. Primary data were collected at a single visit and through chart review. Between Oct 21, 2019, and Jun 15, 2020, 201 eligible patients [median (interquartile range, IQR) age 45.7 (40.2-50.5) years; 75.6% > 40 years old; 64.2% female] were enrolled, a mean (standard deviation) of 42.9 (7.8) years after diagnosis. Median (IQR) age at diagnosis and RBC transfusion initiation were 0.8 (0.4-2.8) and 1.3 (1.0-5.0) years, respectively. From diagnosis to enrolment, patients had developed a median of six (range: 1-55) complications; 19.6% were grade ≥3. The most represented complications were endocrine/metabolic/nutrition disorders (91.5%), surgical/medical procedures (67.7%) and blood/lymphatic system disorders (64.7%). Real-world data generated by ULYSSES underscore the substantial complication burden of transfusion-dependent β-thalassaemia patients, routinely managed in Greece.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonis Kattamis
- First Department of PediatricsThalassemia UnitNational and Kapodistrian University of AthensAthensGreece
| | - Ersi Voskaridou
- Expertise Center in Rare Haematological Diseases‐HaemoglobinopathiesGeneral Hospital of Athens “Laikon”AthensGreece
| | - Sophia Delicou
- Thalassemia and Sickle Cell UnitGeneral Hospital of Athens “Hippocrateion”AthensGreece
| | - Evangelos Klironomos
- Thalassemia and Sickle Cell UnitGeneral Hospital of Heraklion “Venizelion”HeraklionGreece
| | - Ioannis Lafiatis
- Thalassemia and Sickle Cell UnitGeneral Hospital of Mytilene “Vostanio”MytileneGreece
| | - Foteini Petropoulou
- Thalassemia UnitGeneral Hospital of Athens “Georgios Gennimatas”AthensGreece
| | - Michael D. Diamantidis
- Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Disease UnitGeneral Hospital of Larissa “Koutlimbaneio & Triantafylleio”LarissaGreece
| | - Stylianos Lafioniatis
- Thalassemia and Sickle Cell UnitGeneral Hospital of Volos “Achilopouleio,”VolosGreece
| | - Loukia Evliati
- Thalassemia and Sickle Cell UnitGeneral Hospital of Athens “Evaggelismos”AthensGreece
| | - Eleni Kapsali
- Department of HematologyUniversity Hospital of IoanninaIoanninaGreece
| | | | | | | | | | - Alexandra Kourakli
- Department of Internal MedicineHematology DivisionUniversity General Hospital of PatrasPatrasGreece
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Kurban LA, Almarri BK, Alshamsi MH, Abdelrahman SS, Alwahshi SG, Alhorani Q, Syed R, Bakoush O. Optimized serum ferritin prediction of iron overload in transfusion-dependent thalassemia: likelihood ratio and age-adjustment approach. Ann Saudi Med 2023; 43:90-96. [PMID: 37031371 PMCID: PMC10082945 DOI: 10.5144/0256-4947.2023.90] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early detection of iron overload in transfusion-dependent thalassemia (TDT) patients is critical to prevent complications and improve survival. OBJECTIVES Evaluate the utility of serum ferritin (SF) in the prediction of hepatic and myocardial iron overload (HIO and MIO) compared to T2*-MRI. DESIGN Retrospective SETTINGS: Governmental hospitals. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with TDT who had T2*-MRI examinations between January 2016 to October 2019 were included. The predictive value of SF for detection of HIO and MIO was assessed by measuring area under the curve (AUC). A sample size of 123 cases was calculated to detect a correlation of 0.25 with 90% power and a two-sided type I error of 0.05. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The correlation between SF and estimated hepatic iron concentration. SAMPLE SIZE 137 TDT patients who required regular blood transfusions. RESULTS The predictive value of SF was excellent for detection of HIO (AUC=0.83-0.87) but fair for detection of MIO (AUC=0.67). The two independent predictors of MIO were age and SF. The log of (age × SF) enhanced the SF predictive value for MIO (AUC=0.78). SF values of 700 and 1250 mg/L effectively excluded mild and moderate HIO with a sensitivity of 97.8% and 94.2%, respectively (LR-=0.1). While SF values of 1640 and 2150 mg/L accurately diagnosed mild and moderate HIO with a specificity of 95.55% and 96.4%, respectively (LR+>10). A log of (age × SF) cut-off value of 4.15 effectively excluded MIO (LR-=0.1), while a value of 4.65 moderately confirmed MIO (LR+=3.2). CONCLUSIONS SF is an excellent predictor of hepatic IO in TDT. Age adjustment enhanced its myocardial IO predictive accuracy. Likelihood ratio-based SF cut-off values may help clinicians in risk stratification and treatment decision-making. LIMITATIONS The laboratory data were gathered retrospectively and although the risk of selection bias for T2*-MRI examination is thought to be low, it cannot be ignored. CONFLICT OF INTEREST None.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lutfi Ali Kurban
- From the Department of Radiology, Tawam Hospital, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Bashayer Khamis Almarri
- From the Radiography and Medical Imaging Department, Fatima College of Health Sciences, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Maitha Helal Alshamsi
- From the Radiography and Medical Imaging Department, Fatima College of Health Sciences, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Shahid Shehadeh Abdelrahman
- From the Radiography and Medical Imaging Department, Fatima College of Health Sciences, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Sara Ghumail Alwahshi
- From the Radiography and Medical Imaging Department, Fatima College of Health Sciences, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Qays Alhorani
- From the Radiography and Medical Imaging Department, Fatima College of Health Sciences, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Rizwan Syed
- From the Department of Radiology, Tawam Hospital, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Omran Bakoush
- From the Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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Fong ZV, Teinor J, Yeo TP, Rinaldi D, Greer JB, Lavu H, Qadan M, Johnston FM, Ferrone CR, Chang DC, Yeo CJ, Wolfgang CL, Warshaw AL, Lillemoe KD, Fernandez-del Castillo C, Weiss MJ, Wolff JL, Wu AW. Assessment of Caregivers' Burden When Caring for Patients With Pancreatic and Periampullary Cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst 2022; 114:1468-1475. [PMID: 35984312 PMCID: PMC9664174 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djac153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Family and other unpaid caregivers play an active role in the recovery of individuals with pancreatic and periampullary cancer after pancreatectomy. However, little is known about caregivers' experiences and how to better support them. METHODS Caregivers accompanying patients to 1-month postpancreatectomy visits at 3 hospitals completed an electronic survey between November 2018 and February 2020. We examine measures of absenteeism and work productivity loss among the subset of caregivers who reported working for pay and comparatively assess caregiver experiences by employment status. All analyses were performed as 2-sided tests. RESULTS Of 265 caregivers approached for study participation, 240 (90.6%) enrolled. Caregivers were primarily female (70.8% female, 29.2% male) and spouses (58.3%) or adult children (25.8%) of patients, with a median age of 60 years. Of the 240 caregivers included in the study, 107 (44.6%) worked for pay. Nearly half (44.4%) of working caregivers reported being absent from work because of caregiving amounting to a 14% loss in work hours. While at work, 58.9% of working caregivers reported increased work difficulty as a result of caregiving. Taken together, an estimated 59.7% loss in work productivity was experienced because of caregiving in the month following pancreatectomy. After adjustment for sociodemographic factors, working (vs nonworking) caregivers reported increased financial (odds ratio [OR] = 2.32; P = .04) and emotional (OR = 1.93; P = .04) difficulties and daily activity restrictions (OR = 1.85; P = .048). CONCLUSIONS Working caregivers of patients with pancreatic and periampullary cancer experience negative impacts on work and productivity, and caregiving-related financial and emotional difficulties may be amplified. This study highlights the need for workplace policies to support unpaid cancer caregiving.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi Ven Fong
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jonathan Teinor
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Theresa P Yeo
- Department of Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Dee Rinaldi
- Department of Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jonathan B Greer
- Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Harish Lavu
- Department of Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Motaz Qadan
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Fabian M Johnston
- Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - David C Chang
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Charles J Yeo
- Department of Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Andrew L Warshaw
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Keith D Lillemoe
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Matthew J Weiss
- Department of Surgery, Northwell Health University Hospital, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Jennifer L Wolff
- Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Albert W Wu
- Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
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The Outcomes of Patients with Haemoglobin Disorders in Cyprus: A Joined Report of the Thalassaemia International Federation and the Nicosia and Paphos Thalassaemia Centres (State Health Services Organisation). THALASSEMIA REPORTS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/thalassrep12040019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Haemoglobinopathies, including thalassaemias and sickle-cell syndromes, are demanding, lifelong conditions that pose a significant burden to patients, families, and healthcare systems. Despite the therapeutic advances and the resulting improvements in prognosis accomplished in past decades, these patients still face important challenges, including suboptimal access to quality care in areas with developing economies, changing epidemiology due to massive migration flows, an evolving clinical spectrum due to ageing in well-treated patients, and limited access to novel high-cost therapies. We herein describe the organization of healthcare services for haemoglobinopathies in Cyprus—with particular focus on beta-thalassaemia, the most prevalent condition in this region—along with selected patient outcomes. This report aims at underscoring the fact that nationally funded and well-coordinated prevention and care programmes for chronic and complex conditions, such as haemoglobinopathies, with active involvement from patient organizations lead to effective disease control and excellent outcomes in survival, quality of life, social adaptation, and public health savings, and allow timely and effective responses to emerging crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The Cyprus paradigm could therefore serve as a blueprint for the organization or adaptation of haemoglobinopathy programs in other countries since these disorders are still widely occurring.
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