Abstract:

Background: The prognosis of patients with beta-thalassemia major has improved in the last few decades, but some complications occur in thalassemia patients such as the prolongation of blood coagulation time. This study aimed to determine the difference in prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), and thrombin time (TT) between beta-thalassemia major patients and healthy children, frequent and infrequent transfusion, and ferritin levels ≥ 2,500 ng/ml and < 2,500 ng/ml. Method: This was an analytical cross-sectional study performed at Haji Adam Malik Hospital from April to August 2018 including 20 thalassemia patients and 20 healthy children. Patient data consisted of full blood count, transfusion status, coagulation parameters, serum iron, and ferritin level. The difference between coagulation parameters was analyzed using the independent t test. Result: There was a significant difference in PT and aPTT between patients with thalassemia and healthy children (15.7 ± 1.5 vs. 13.0 ± 1.0; 42.5 ± 4.8 vs. 36.3 ± 4.8 respectively). There was a significant difference in PT between frequent and infrequent transfusion (15.41 ± 1.30 vs. 17.16 ± 2.08). There was significant difference in PT and aPTT between ferritin levels ≥ 2,500 ng/ml and < 2,500 ng/ml (18.97 ± 0.57 vs 15.93 ± 1.18; 52.92 ± 1.17 vs 42.11 ± 3.88 respectively).Conclusion: There was a prolongation of PT and aPTT in beta-thalassemia major patients and ferritin levels ≥ 2,500 ng/ml. There was also an elongation of PT in patients who had infrequent transfusions.

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