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Objective: The objective of this study is to identify the reasons behind delays in scheduled blood transfusion, to promote education and awareness of timely blood transfusions in thalassemia major patients and to bring into the notice of physicians the reasons behind delays and how to overcome them.
Material and method: Data for this survey was collected in two parts, from the patient charts, which included demographics of the patients i.e. name,address, phone numbers, e-mail address, medical record number. Laboratory and next follow up plan data was also collected. This is a prospective study,duration of this study was 3 months from April 2017 to June 2017 and 3 months after intervention from June 2018 to August 2018. Inclusion criteria includes patients with thalassemia major, of any age or gender visiting day care oncology at Aga Khan University Hospital for receiving blood transfusion whereas, exclusion criteria includes patients of any age or gender with thalassemia intermediate/minor or other haemoglobinopathies.
Results: A total of 214 patients were included in this study, in part one out of 107 patients 66 (61.68%) received on time blood transfusions,27 (25.23%)patients received delayed blood transfusions and 14 (13.08%) patients received early blood transfusions. In part two data analysis which was done after intervention, out of 107 patients 87 (81.30%) patients received on time transfusion, 10 (9.34%) patients received early blood transfusion and 10 (9.34%) patients received late blood transfusion. During data analysis it was identified that out of 66 (61.68%) patients coming on time for blood transfusion 38 (57.57%) patients have their Hb level less than 9 g/dL in 2017 and 41 (47.12%) patients out of 87 (81.30%) in 2018 have their Hb level less than 9 g/dL.
Conclusion: In first part before intervention 66 (61.68%) patients were coming on time for blood transfusion and after intervention 87 (81.30 %) patients were receiving timely blood transfusion. Patients receiving on time blood transfusion 38 (57.57%) patients in 2017 and 41 (47.12%) patients in 2018 had hemoglobin level less than 9 g/dL, which needs further workup
