Anthropometric measurements in children having transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia

Figures & data

Table 1. Clinical and laboratory parameters of children with transfusion-dependent thalassemia (n = 367).

Parameters	Number (%)	Range
Blood transfusions per months
1/month	123 (33.51%)
2/month	231 (62.94%)
3/ month	1 (0.27%)
4/month	12 (3.27%)
Chelation therapy
Yes	352 (95.91%)
Compliance with iron chelation
Regular	123 (33.51%)
Intermittent	229 (62.40%)
None	15 (4.09%)
Iron chelation therapy
Deferasirox	38 (10.35%)
Deferoxamine	138 (37.60%)
Deferiprone and Deferoxamine	176 (47.96%)
None	15 (4.09%)
Mean pre-transfusion hemoglobin (g/dl)	7.66 ± 1.34	2.5–10.5
Median (IQR) serum ferritin (ng/ml)	5012 ng/ml (IQR 3532–6829)	948–21612
Ferritin (ng/ml) levels
<1000	2 (0.54%)
1000–2000	9 (2.45%)
>2000–3000	46 (12.53%)
>3000–4000	63 (17.17%)
>4000–5000	62 (16.89%)
>5000	185 (50.41%)
Mean weight z-score^a	−1.82 ± 1.09	−5.35–1.14
Median (Q3–Q1) height z-score	−2.69 (−1.46 to −3.80)	−5.81–1.75
Mean BMI z-score	−1.73 ± 1.31	−4.99–2.53

Notes: ^aWeight z-scores could be calculated up to 10 years of age only, as World Health Organization data for weight z-scores are not available beyond 10 years of age.

Table 2. Age wise comparison of height for age z-score (HZS) in children with stunted growth (n = 240) vs. normal growing children (n = 127).

Age groups	Children with stunted growth (n = 240)	Children with normal growth (n = 127)	p-Value
	Height z-score	Height z-score
5–10 years (n = 173 or 47%)	−3.0 ± 0.8 [−5.81 to −2.01]	−0.9 ± 0.8 [−1.99 to 1.75]	<0.001*
10.1–15 years (n = 178 or 49%)	−3.5 ± 0.8 [−5.53 to −2.07]	−1.6 ± 0.3 [−1.93 to 1.05]	<0.001*
>15 years (n = 16 or 4%)	−4.4 ± 0.8 [−5.58 to −2.88]	−1.8 ± 0.3 [−1.99 to 1.53]	<0.001*
Total	−3.5 ± 0.9	−0.9 ± 0.8	<0.001*

*p-value significant.

Figure 1. Regression fit between mean serum ferritin levels (ng/ml) and height z-scores in children with transfusion-dependent thalassemia.