<![CDATA[Routine blood transfusions performed on thalassemia major patients can cause excessive iron accumulation in the body, which carries the risk of complications. Serum ferritin levels are used to assess body iron stores. This study aims to determine the correlation between transfusion frequency and iron accumulation in patients with thalassemia major. This study used a cross-sectional design with analytical observation. Data was collected by consecutive, non-random sampling from the medical records of 55 patients with thalassemia major aged 5-18 years who underwent blood transfusions at Hermina Jatinegara Hospital from January to December 2023. The independent variable was the frequency of blood transfusions per year, while the dependent variable was the average serum ferritin level, measured three times a year (every 4 months). The data obtained were analyzed using the Spearman correlation test. The results of this study found that the frequency of blood transfusions in thalassemia major patients over 1 year was 15 per year (based on the median). The average serum ferritin level was 3957.73 ng/mL (based on the median value). Spearman's correlation test showed a weak correlation between blood transfusion frequency and ferritin levels (r = 0.292; p = 0.031). The study concluded that increased blood transfusion frequency was associated with higher blood iron levels, but the correlation was weak.]]>
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