Table 2. Comparison of Demographic, Clinical and Laboratory Data Among Different Groups of Transfusion-Dependent β-Thalassemia Patients a,b,c.
| Variables | Good Responders, n = 31 | Partial Responders, n = 33 | Non Responders, n = 31 | P Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sex, male, No. (%) | 17 (54.8) | 15 (45.5) | 9 (29) | 0.116 |
| Splenectomy, No. (%) | 17 (54.8) | 11 (33.3) | 14 (45.2) | 0.222 |
| Pre-HU Hb, g/dL | 9.77 ± 0.95 | 9.61 ± 1.04 | 9.19 ± 1.23 | 0.114 |
| Post-HU Hb, g/dL | 8.55 ± 0.76 | 7.96 ± 1.57 | 8.06 ± 0.70 | 0.079 |
| Pre-HU Ferritin, ng/mL | 2305 ± 1657 | 2987 ± 2288 | 2319 ± 2025 | |
| Median d | 2008 | 2176 | 1446 | 0.547 |
| Post-HU Ferritin, ng/mL | 2039 ± 1479 | 2635 ± 2299 | 1818 ± 1474 | 0.777 |
| Median d | 1792 | 1816 | 1324 | |
| HU dose, mg/kg/d | 10.62 ± 1.68 | 10.96 ± 1.45 | 10.21 ± 1.56 | 0.169 |
| HU duration, w | 9 ± 3.82 | 7.24 ± 3.47 | 7.10 ± 3.32 | 0.066 |
| NRBC, yes, No. (%) | 13 (41.9) | 5 (15.2) | 10 (32.3) | 0.058 |
| Pre-HbF, g/dL | 1.1 ± 0.4 | 1.2 ± 0.3 | 1.2 ± 0.2 | 0.225 |
| Post-HbF, g/dL | 7.4 ± 1.2 | 4.1 ± 1.3 | 3.5 ± 0.9 | < 0.05 c |
a Data are presented as mean ± SD.
b Abbreviation: Hb, hemoglobin; HU, Hydroxyurea, NRBC, nucleated red blood cells.
c Post-HU HbF level was significantly higher in good responders compared with partial and non-responders (P < 0.001). Also in partial responders, a significant higher level of post-HU HbF was observed compared with non-responders (P = 0.036).
d Because before and after serum ferritin levels did not have normal distribution at the studied population, nonparametric test was done and median value was also reported for both.