Patients with β-thalassemia major require long-term blood transfusions. However, these patients are at increasing risk of developing anti-red blood cell autoantibodies and alloantibodies due to multiple allogenic blood transfusions. Here, we report the clinical features and management of two patients with β-thalassemia with autoimmune hemolytic anemia followed shortly after last blood transfusions. At the beginning, the patients responded well to the immunoglobulin and prednisolone treatments, but after a short period of time, first patient developed recurrent autoimmune hemolytic anemia. At the end, this patient remained well in the follow up period with corticosteroid treatment. As a result, it is recommended that thalassemia patients should receive blood that matches Rh and Kell antigens, and prestorage leukodepleted erythrocyte suspensions to reduce allo and autoantibody formation.
Key Words: β-Thalassemia; Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia; Childhood.
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