Athens University thalassemia expertise unit: evolution, structure, perspectives and patients' expectations.

ABSTRACT

Thalassemia Expertise Centres (TECs), were first organized in developed countries with high thalassemia prevalence in the 70's to meet the increasing demands of the implementation of frequent transfusions in the treatment of thalassemia, and to consequently adopt, the rapid advances in the management of the disease. Recent evaluation of longitudinal implementation of the national programs for prevention and treatment, demonstrated their efficacy for patients and public health. The beneficial effects focused on clinical symptoms amelioration, reduction of incidence and severity of complications and considerable improvement in survival, quality of life and social adaptation.National programs leaded to the modification of the most common genetic, fatal pediatric disease with short survival, to a chronic long-lived disease for adults and a very rare disease for children. In the few developed countries new perspectives for pediatric TECs need to be considered.