Physical activity, pain, and iron burden as independent correlates of quality of life in adults with beta-thalassemia major in the United Arab Emirates.

Abstract

Purpose: To examine whether physical activity, iron burden (serum ferritin), and pain intensity are independently associated with multidimensional quality of life (QoL) among adults with beta-thalassemia major (BTM) in the United Arab Emirates.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 250 eligible adults with transfusion-dependent BTM were enrolled from a specialized treatment center and included in the analyses. Participants completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form, the WHOQOL-BREF, and a Numeric Rating Scale for pain. Serum ferritin values were extracted from medical records. Multivariable general linear models were conducted to evaluate associations with WHOQOL-BREF physical, psychological, social, and environmental domain scores, adjusting for age, gender, employment status, chelator use, transfusion/chelation frequency, pain intensity, and serum ferritin.

Results: Participants had a mean age of 31.7 ± 7.8 years; 45.6% reported low physical activity and 59.2% reported thalassemia-related pain. After adjustment, physical activity category was associated with physical and social QoL. Although the overall physical activity factor was not significantly associated with psychological QoL, participants with high physical activity had higher psychological QoL than those with low physical activity (p = 0.040). Pain intensity was independently associated with lower physical, psychological, and environmental QoL (all p ≤ 0.003), but not social QoL. Serum ferritin was not independently associated with QoL domains or pain intensity after adjustment.

Conclusion: Among adults with BTM, physical activity and pain are important correlates of specific dimensions of quality of life, whereas serum ferritin does not appear to be directly associated with patient-reported QoL. These findings highlight the importance of promoting physical activity and addressing pain alongside biomedical management in adults with BTM.