Treatment Response Criteria
For patients with TDT β-thalassemia, maintenance of hemoglobin above
90g·L-1 without blood transfusion after treatment was defined as a major
response; and maintenance of hemoglobin above 90g·L-1 with 50% or over
50% reduction of transfusion volume was defined as a minor response;
otherwise, the treatment was considered ineffective. All laboratory
parameters of TDT patients were examined 2 weeks after the last
transfusion. Baseline Hb level was referred to the last test measured
before thalidomide treatment.