Table 1 Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of TDT patients

Age in years, mean(SD)

25.0 (9.8)

Age, n(%)

   ≤ 18

-

68(26.7%)

   > 18

187(73.3%)

-

Sex, n(%)

  Male

97(76.4%)

30(23.6%)

127(49.8%)

  Female

90 (70.3%)

38(29.7%)

128(50.2%)

Household annual income (AED), n(%)

  1st quartile (≤ 37,200)

55(29.4%)

9(13.2%)

64(25.1%)

  2nd quartile (> 37,200– 96,000)

50 (26.7%)

21(30.9%)

71(27.9%)

  3rd quartile (> 96,000 – 192,000)

42 (22.5%)

18(26.5%)

60(23.5%)

  4th quartile (> 192,000)

40 (21.4%)

20(29.4%)

60(23.5%)

Nationality, n(%)

  UAE

59(31.6%)

29(42.6%)

88(34.5%)

  Non-UAE

128 (6.4%)

39(57.4%)

167(65.5%)

Disease type, n(%)

  β-thalassemia major

172(92.0%)

59(86.7%)

231(90.6%)

  β-thalassemia intermedia

7(3.7%)

7(10.3%)

14(5.5%)

  Hemoglobin E/β-thalassemia

7(3.7%)

1(1.5%)

8(3.1%)

  α-thalassemia intermedia

1(0.5%)

1(1.5%)

2(0.8%)

ICT, n(%)

  DFX

125(66.8%)

56(82.4%)

181(71.0%)

  DFP

10(5.3%)

1(1.5%)

11(4.3%)

  DFO

26(13.9%)

9(13.2%)

35(13.7%)

  Combined therapy

26(13.9%)

2(2.9%)

28(11.0%)

Ferritin level, n(%)

   < 2000 ng/ml

70(37.4%)

25(36.8%)

95(27.3%)

   ≥ 2000 ng/ml

117(62.6%)

43(63.2%)

160(62.7%)

History of splenectomy, n(%)

  No

162(86.6%)

67(98.5%)

229(89.8%)

  Yes

25(13.4%)

1(1.5%)

26(10.2%)

Number of complications, n(%)

  No complication

5(2.7%)

39(57.4%)

44(17.2%)

  One complication

83(44.4%)

25(36.8%)

108(42.4%)

  Two complications

69(36.9%)

4(5.9%)

73(28.6%)

  Three or more complications

30(16.0%)

0 (0%)

30(11.8%)

Cardiac complications, n(%)

  No

169(90.4%)

66(97.1%)

235(92.2%)

  Yes

18(9.6%)

2(2.9%)

20(7.8%)

Hepatic complications, n(%)

  No

146(78.1%)

67(98.5%)

213(83.5%)

  Yes

41(21.9%)

1(1.5%)

42(16.5%)

Endocrine system complications, n(%)

  No

85(45.5%)

57(86.8%)

142(55.7%)

  Yes

102(54.5%)

11(13.2%)

113(44.3%)

Bone complications, n(%)

  No

35(18.7%)

47(69.1%)

82(32.2%)

  Yes

152(81.3%)

21(30.9%)

173(67.8%)