AB035. Thalassemia in Vietnam

Abstract: Thalassemia is a common inherited hemoglobin disorder in Vietnam. The alpha thalassemia, beta thalassemia, and HbE are popular in Vietnam but its variance depends on ethnics. The research for frequency of some ethnics almost in electrophoresis includes: Kinh (beta thalassemia carrier 1.49%, HbE 1.24%), Muong (beta thalassemia carrier 10.7%, HbE 11.7%), Tay (beta thalassemia carrier 11%, HbE 1%). In the recent years, we have conducted researches on thalassemia gene in the Northern and Southern areas of Vietnam. The two researches on beta thalassemia conducted at National Hospital of Pediatrics were Cd17 (33.8%), Cd41/42 (29.4%) following are HbE (19.1%), Cd 71/72 (7.3%), -28 (5.9%), IVS 2-625 (1.5%), IVS 1-5 (1.5%), IVS 1-1 (1.5%). In Vietnam, we have a thalassemia centre at the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion and several outpatient clinics at National Hospital of Pediatrics, Children No. 1 Hospital, Blood Transfusion and Hematology Hospital Ho Chi Minh city, Central Hue Hospital. In provincial hospitals, we have transfusion service but very variance. That the number of patients with thalassemia requires regular blood transfusion has been increasing results in big shortage of blood supply. At Department of Clinical Hematology-NHP, we provide patients with screening for HIV, HCV and HBV in every 6 months. Patients were done antibody screening test. Deferoxamine, deferiprone and deferasirox are currently used but in short supply. We are facing the difficulty that almost hospitals in Vietnam lack the drug which is unique for each type of chelation. We have to apply ferritin level to follow the chelation effective and MRI to measure iron overload in patients’ liver and heart. We are only able to provide SCT for the modest number of patients with thalassemia. In almost cases, we used sibling donor in SCT for patients with thalassemia. Regarding prevention service, we offer genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis at three hospitals. We organized prevention program in Hoa Binh province on national budget. The most important future planning is expanding prevention program in provinces with high prevalence and after that in the all country. Our future plan is to set up more thalassemia centres in provincial and central hospitals where overload with patient’s demand. We also launch for appeal for blood and iron chelation to patients with thalassemia. In near future, use of haplo SCT to treatment thalassemia patients will be more.

Keywords: Thalassemia; gene; treatment; planning; prevalence