ANALISIS KADAR VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH FACTOR PADA ANAK DENGAN THALASSEMIA BETA

Beta thalassemia major is an incurable autosomal recessive hereditary anemia whereas HbE beta thalassemia results from the coinheritance of a beta thalassemia minor trait from one parent and HbE from the other. VEGF regulates the process of angiogenesis in the state of hypoxia in beta thalassemia. This study aims to analyze VEGF levels in pediatric patients with beta thalassemia. This was a cross-sectional study which was carried out at Wahidin Sudirohusodo Hospital during July 2022 – February 2023. The study population was all pediatric patients with beta thalassemia major and HbE beta thalassemia aged 6 months to 18 years who met the inclusion criteria. This study involved 60 children aged 6 months to 18 years divided into 2 groups, 30 beta thalassemia children and 30 non-thalassemia children. Of the 30 patients diagnosed with beta thalassemia, all met the inclusion criteria, consisting of 20 patients with beta thalassemia major and 10 patients with HbE beta thalassemia. The results showed that there was a significant difference between VEGF level in children with beta thalassemia and non-thalassemia (p=0,041). VEGF levels were significantly higher in children with beta thalassemia major than those of children with HbE beta thalassemia with a p value = 0.029.