Costs, quality of life, treatment satisfaction and compliance in patients with β-thalassemia major undergoing iron chelation therapy: the ITHACA study

OBJECTIVES: Iron chelation treatment (ICT) in beta-thalassemia major (beta-TM) patients undergoing blood transfusions can cause low satisfaction, low compliance, with possible negative consequences on treatment success, patients' wellbeing, and costs. The purpose was to estimate the societal burden attributable to beta-TM in terms of direct and indirect costs, health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL), satisfaction and compliance with ICT in patients undergoing transfusions and ICT. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The naturalistic, multicenter, longitudinal Italian-THAlassemia-Cost- this would contribute to a better compliance and hence an increase in treatment effectiveness and patients' overall wellbeing, with expected improved allocation of human and economic resources.