Abstract
Thalassemia major is one of the common genetic disorders in Egypt. Skin disorders are usually neglected and frequently underdiagnosed among these patients. This work aimed to study the frequency and pattern of skin manifestations in Egyptian children with β-thalassemia. Fifty-four β-thalassemia major patients being followed at the Hematology Clinic of Beni-Suef University Hospital were selected to participate in this study. All patients underwent detailed history evaluation, clinical examination and laboratory investigations, including complete blood count and serum ferritin. All patients were examined by a dermatologist to record any skin disorders. Pruritus (37%), scars (33.3%), hyperpigmentation (31.5%) and xerosis (22.2%) were the most common findings. We found significant relations between serum ferritin and the occurrence of scars, hyperpigmentation, xerosis and ephelides (p <0.05). Also, significant associations between use of deferoxamine and scars (p=0.004), hyperpigmentation (p=0.004), xerosis (p=0.03) and ephelides (p=0.042) were found. Skin disorders are frequent in Egyptian children with thalassemia major. Careful skin examination is required to provide early diagnosis.
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