Growth Pattern Among Yemeni Children Suffering from Β Thalassemia Major in Relation to Serum Ferritin the Yemeni Society for Thalassemia and Genetic Blood Disorder - Sana'a Yemen

Background: Thalassemia are a heterogeneous collection of genetic disorders categorized by decreased or absent production of one or more globin chains that make up a hemoglobin molecule. Objective: The main aim of the present study was to evaluate the growth pattern and growth failure rate in children with hyper transfused β thalassemia major those on chelating therapy in comparison with serum ferritin level in the Yemeni society for thalassemia and genetic blood disorder. Methods: In this comparative descriptive study, the growth parameters (height, weight) and serum ferritin of 109 patients aged 2-18 years (52 males 47 females) with β-thalassemia major in The Yemeni society for thalassemia and genetic blood disorder Sana`a, were taken, In which the growth was compared with normal growth charts for the same age and gender according to WHO then the growth pattern is camper with serum ferritin and degree of hemosiderosis. Results: Growth retardation below 5 centiles were found in (67.889%) of total surveyed Patients for both height and weight in both gender, in details there are (71.60%) are short and under 5th centile in compare with height of normal children at same age and gender (38.46% is female patients and 61.53% is male patients) and there are (67.9%) are underweight and under 5th centile in compare with weight of normal children at same age and gender (37.83% is female patient and 62.16% is male patients). Conclusion: Growth failure (underweight and short stature) significantly occurs in thalassemia patients compared to normal children of the same age and sex, and such growth retardation was more in Yemeni patients compared with same studies on other countries than Yemen.