Guidelines For Treating Non-Transfusion-Dependent Thalassaemia

KUALA LUMPUR, June 13 (Bernama) -- New guidelines released by the Thalassaemia International Federation (TIF) address the Management of Non-Transfusion Dependent Thalassaemias (NTDT). The guidelines, the first of their kind in the field of medical haematology, were presented Thursday at the 18th Congress of the European Haematology Association (EHA), said a statement issued by Thalassaemia International Federation in Stockholm, Sweden. The guidelines provide a consensus of international expert opinion based on the latest data in the field, and were developed to give clinicians easy-to-follow protocols to better identify and manage this patient population, who are often overlooked or under-diagnosed. NTDT is a term used to label patients who do not require lifelong regular, blood transfusions for survival, although they may require occasional or even frequent transfusions in certain clinical settings and for defined periods of time. Non-transfusion-dependent thalassaemias include: thalassaemia intermedia, HbE/thalassaemia and α-thalassaemia (HbH), and predominantly affect people of South and Southeast Asian, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern origin. Due to migration and global population movements, NTDT exists in almost every region and country of the world including Europe. "Without proper disease management, people with NTDT can still develop dangerous iron buildup in vital organs that can cause serious and potentially life-threatening complications," Dr. Michael Angastiniotis, TIF Medical Advisor, added. Copies of the guidelines and other TIF publications are available at thalassaemia.org.cy/list-of-publications -- BERNAMA