The Impact of Patient and Parents’ Education by Nurses on Serum Ferritin Levels in Children with Beta-Thalassemia Major

Abstract

Background: Through education and information, nurses can help patients learn more about their health status and can contribute to improvement in patient drug adherence, clinical and laboratory outcomes. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of patient and their family education by nurses on serum ferritin levels.

Methods: The study included 85 children with transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia aged between 2.4 to 17 (mean 7.6 ± 3.3) years, 44 (52%) of whom were male. All patients received deferasirox doses ranged from 12 to 40 mg/kg/day. Patients and their families were requested for education intervention provided by nurses. Seventeen patients (group 1) (11 male, 6 female) refused to receive education or not compliant with the study protocol. Sixty-eight (33 male, 35 female) patients (group 2) and their parents educated by nurses, including drug instructions, telephone interviews and home visits for 12 months.

Results: Mean deferasirox dose at the 24th and 36th months of the study were 31.6 ± 7 and 32 ± 8 mg/kg/day in group 1, and were 32.7 ± 8 and 33.6 ± mg/kg/day in group 2, respectively. Mean serum ferritin levels at the 24th and 36th months of the study were reduced from 4424 ± 2305 ng/mL to 3425 ± 1661 ng/mL (the mean difference was 662 ng/mL) (P =0.044) in group 1, and were reduced from 3177 ± 1645 to 2748 ± 1343 ng/mL (the mean difference was 274 ng/mL) (P = 0.033) in group 2, respectively

Conclusion: Our study’s results suggested that patient and parents’ education by nurses have no significant impact in reducing ferritin levels in children with beta-thalassemia major. Deferasirox dose was the only significant predictor that contributed to reduction in ferritin levels.