Management and clinical outcomes of transfusion-dependent thalassaemia major in an Australian tertiary referral clinic.

Objective: To evaluate the management, clinical outcomes and adherence to chelation therapy in adult transfusion-dependent patients with thalassaemia major.

Design, Setting And Participants: We reviewed all transfusion-dependent adults with thalassaemia major (n = 44) attending the Haematology Department at the Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, in 2005. Data were collected retrospectively (2000-2005) and prospectively (2005) for cross-sectional clinical audit from clinical reviews, patient questionnaires, pharmacy dispensing records and routine laboratory investigations.