title: Transfusion therapy and alloimmunization in Thalassemia Intermedia: a 10 year experience at a tertiary care university hospital.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Thalassemia Intermedia (TI) has a wide clinical profile with many patients requiring only occasional transfusions. To prevent alloimmunization, we adopted a policy of issuing phenotype matched red blood cells in 2009. We examined transfusion indications and alloimmunization rate in TI patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical and blood bank records of 37 TI patients were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  23 Patients required transfusion for pregnancy (26), splenectomy (8) and anemia (11). Since 2009, total of 335 units were transfused with only one antibody developing after transfusing a non-phenotype matched unit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The commonest indication for blood transfusion was pregnancy. Providing phenotype matched blood has successfully reduced the rate of alloimmunization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Arwa Z
authors.initials: AZ
authors.lastname: Al-Riyami
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Sabah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al-Mahrooqi
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Sumaiya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al-Hinai
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Saif
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al-Hosni
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Sohar Hospital, Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Madhani
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman. Electronic address: sf.daar@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Shahina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Daar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D017707:Erythrocyte Transfusion / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009850:Oman; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: Alloimmunization; Phenotype; Thalassemia Intermedia; Transfusion