Pretransfusion hemoglobin level and mortality in adults with transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia
Khaled M. Musallam, Susanna Barella, Raffaella Origa, Giovanni Battista Ferrero, Roberto Lisi, A Pasanisi, Filomena Longo, Barbara Gianesin, Gian Luca Forni
Abstract
Regular transfusions have dramatically improved the outcomes for patients with thalassemia major, especially reducing deaths from anemia-related heart failure, but the hemoglobin threshold for maximizing outcomes is the subject of conjecture. Musallam et al report on a retrospective analysis of 10-year survival data in 779 patients, identifying increasing survival to be associated with higher pretransfusion hemoglobin levels, with the highest survival observed when levels were maintained >10.5 g/dL. These data support raising the target threshold for pretransfusion hemoglobin levels in patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia.