SENSORY NEURAL HEARING LOSS IN β-THALASSEMIA MAJOR PATIENTS TREATED WITH DEFEROXAMINE

This study evaluated the incidence of sensory neural hearing loss (SNHL) in β-thalassemia major patients treated with deferoxamine in Mofid Children's Hospital. Based on the patients’ file review, this descriptive and cross-sectional study was performed in all thalassemia patients older than 5 years old who were treated with regular blood transfusion and deferoxamine pump injection during the year 2006. The first visit with the otolaryngologist was performed in all patients to demarcate the presence of cerumen, otitis, and congenital abnormalities of ears. Then pure tone audiometery in frequency ranges of 250–8000 Hz was performed. Data statistical analysis was done by Mann-Whitney, chi square, and Fisher tests. There were 67 patients over 5 years old in our study. Five patients (7.4%), including 2 boys and 3 girls, in the age range of 7–24 years (mean:17.8 ± 6.6 years) had SNHL. Their hearing loss was bilateral and in the frequency range of 2000–4000 Hz, with a mean of 3200 ± 836.66 Hz. There were no sig...