Table 1 Patients' characteristics
From: Economic burden of beta-thalassemia/Hb E and beta-thalassemia major in Thai children
Hospital | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Saraburi | Phramongkutklao | Chulalongkorn | Total | |
Number | 72 (35.8%) | 42 (20.9%) | 87 (43.3%) | 201 (100%) |
Age; mean years (SD) | 9.24 (3.89) | 11.38 (3.84) | 8.86 (3.48) | 9.52 (3.82) |
Gender (N = 201) | ||||
Male | 34 (47.2%) | 24 (57.1%) | 49 (56.3%) | 107 (53.2%) |
Female | 38 (52.8%) | 18 (42.9%) | 38 (43.7%) | 94 (46.8%) |
Type of payment (N = 201) | ||||
Universal Coverage Scheme (UC) | 66 (91.7%) | 24 (57.1%) | 33 (37.9%) | 123 (61.2%) |
Civil Servant Medical Benefit Scheme (CSMBS) | 1 (1.4%) | 12 (28.6%) | 11 (12.6%) | 24 (11.9%) |
Out of pocket | 5 (6.9%) | 6 (14.3%) | 43 (49.4%) | 54 (26.9%) |
Disease type (N = 201) | ||||
Beta-thal/Hb E | 68 (94.4%) | 37 (88.1%) | 78 (89.7%) | 183 (91.0%) |
Homozygous beta-thalassemia | 4 (5.6%) | 5 (11.9%) | 9 (10.3%) | 18 (9.0%) |
Severity (N = 200) | ||||
Severe | 38 (52.8%) | 14 (34.1%) | 42 (48.3%) | 94 (47.0%) |
Non-severe | 34 (47.2%) | 27 (65.9%) | 45 (51.7%) | 106 (53.0%) |
Splenectomy* (N = 201) | ||||
Yes | 22 (30.6%) | 19 (45.2%) | 22 (25.3%) | 63 (31.3%) |
No | 50 (69.4%) | 23 (54.8%) | 65 (74.7%) | 138 (68.7%) |
Type of blood transfusion (N = 198) | ||||
No | 23 (31.9%) | 8 (19.0%) | 10 (11.9%) | 41 (20.7%) |
Occasional (1-5 times/year) | 24 (33.3%) | 1 (2.4%) | 15 (17.9%) | 40 (20.2%) |
Low (6-12 times/year) | 24 (33.3%) | 22 (52.4%) | 33 (39.3%) | 79 (39.9%) |
High (> 12 times/year) | 1 (1.4%) | 11 (26.2%) | 26 (31.0%) | 38 (19.2%) |
Iron chelation (N = 201) | ||||
Desferrioxamine | 3 (4.2%) | 27 (64.3%) | 48 (55.2%) | 78 (38.8%) |
No drug | 69 (95.8%) | 15(35.7%) | 39 (44.8%) | 123 (61.2%) |
Ferritin level (N = 127) | ||||
≤ 2,500 ng/ml | 16 (80.0%) | 20 (58.8%) | 41 (56.2%) | 77 (60.6%) |
> 2,500 ng/ml | 4 (20.0%) | 14 (41.2%) | 32 (43.8%) | 50 (39.4%) |
Complications (N = 201) | ||||
Yes | 5 (6.9%) | 13 (31.0%) | - | 18 (9.0%) |
No | 67 (93.1%) | 29 (69.0%) | 87 (100.0%) | 183 (91.0%) |