ESPE Abstracts

Background: Hb E/β-thalassemia is the most common β-thalassemia disorder in Southeast Asia. Children with Hb E/β-thalassemia vary greatly in red cell transfusion requirement. Some are transfusion dependent (TD) whereas others are non-TD (NTD). Iron-overload associated with transfusion dependency causes endocrinopathies such as delayed puberty, short stature and low bone mass. The prevalence of these complications are high in TD patients with iron overload. While...