Journal of Blood Disorders & Transfusion

Hydroxyurea, an effective therapy to avoid splenectomy in sickle cell disease and thalassemia: Single institute experience in Saudi Arabia

7^th World Hematologists Congress

May 08-09, 2017 Barcelona, Spain

Soad K Al Jaouni

King Abdulaziz University Hospital, KSA
King Abdulaziz University, KSA

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Blood Disord Transfus

Abstract:

Background & Aim: Spleen plays an important part in the immune system which helps the body to fight against infection and has a major role in children. Splenectomy has been decline in hemoglobin disorders in recent years. Aim of this study is to assess the role of hydroxyurea and to eliminate the risk of splenectomy in sickle cell disease (SCD) and thalassemia at our medical center. Methods: Total of 54 patients enrolled in the study from 2004 to 2016 at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia. 25 sickle cell disease (SCD), 17 thalassemia major (TM) were suboptimal transfusion dependents and hypersplenism, 12 thalassemia inter media (TI). Results: Risk of splenectomy has been avoided in 24/25 SCD, 15/17 in TM and 12/12 in TI. Conclusion: Hydroxyurea is an effective and safe therapy can eliminate risk of splenectomy in SCD and thalassemia. Recent studies and meta-analysis showed that hydroxyurea is safe and non-carcinogenic.

Biography :

Soad K Al Jaouni is a Professor and Consultant of Hematology; Professor/Consultant of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and Senior Researcher in Hematology department, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University Hospital- a tertiary care medical center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. She received her certificate of Royal College of Physician and Surgeon in Medicine in 1989. She yearly participates in international and local conferences with more than 260 research and 74 publications. She is well known for her dedication, active role in research on Hereditary Blood Disease, Cancer Research. She has an active role in Public Education to minimize and control inherited blood diseases, environmental pollution and cancer prevention.

Email: saljaouni@kau.edu.sa