PREVALENCE OF THALASSEMIA TRAIT AMONG INDIVIDUALS AT RISK IN NAWABSHAH: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
Main Article Content
Keywords
Thalassemia, Nawabshah, anemia, MCH, prevalence
Abstract
Background: Thalassemia is a genetic condition characterized by an inability to properly produce alpha and beta hemoglobin components.
Aim of study: To determine how often the thalassemia trait occurs among healthy people in Nawabshah.
Methods: This study was conducted at the People’s University of Medical and Health Sciences, Nawabshah, between Aug 2024 and Dec 2024. Individuals referred by physicians for thalassemia screening were directed to the Outpatient Department (OPD) for testing. A total of 2315 individuals underwent screening, out of which 216 individuals who tested positive for the thalassemia trait and were confirmed by physicians were included in the final analysis.
Results: Thalassemia screening included 2315 participants. Of the total, 7.2% (n = 166) tested positive for thalassemia traits during screening. In our study population, beta-thalassemia was the most common (84.60%, n=141), followed by HbE thalassemia (11.50%, n=48), whereas alpha-thalassemia was the least prevalent, accounting for 3.90% (n=16) of the cases. Of the thalassemia cases, 81.9% were associated with consanguineous marriages, indicating a significant prevalence of intrafamilial unions among affected individuals. Conversely, 18.1% of the cases were linked to exogamous marriages, demonstrating a smaller proportion of cases arising from marriages outside the family.
Conclusion: This study demonstrated that β-thalassemia was the predominant subtype among patients with thalassemia in the screened population. A significantly elevated prevalence of consanguineous marriages has been identified as the primary etiological factor contributing to thalassemia in Nawabshah.
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Rizwan Channa
Department of Medicine, Suleman Roshan Medical College, Tandoadam, Pakistan
Ahmed Ali Kanhar
Medical Ward, Syed Abdullah Shah Institute of Medical Sciences, Sehwan, Pakistan
Mehwish Chandio
Institute of Public Health, Community Health Sciences, Peoples University of Medical and Health Sciences, Shaheed Benazir Abad, Pakistan
Hira Saeed Khan
Department of Physiology, Suleman Roshan Medical College, Tandoadam, Pakistan
Hajira Naila
Department of Physiology, Peoples University of Medical and Health Sciences, Shaheed Benazir Abad, Pakistan
Sobia Khan Nabeel
Baqai Medical University, Karachi, Pakistan
Yasir Akbar Jamali
Department of Physiology, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Pakistan
