What complication is most commonly associated with long-term transfusion therapy in a child with beta-thalassemia?

Hemosiderosis is the correct answer because it is the condition that arises due to excessive iron accumulation in the body, which is commonly seen in patients receiving long-term transfusion therapy, particularly those with beta-thalassemia. Children with beta-thalassemia often require frequent blood transfusions to manage their anemia because their bodies do not produce enough healthy red blood cells. However, each unit of transfused blood contains iron, and the body has no natural mechanism to excrete excess iron. As a result, over time, this leads to significant iron overload, manifesting as hemosiderosis.

The condition can affect various organs, particularly the heart, liver, and endocrine glands, potentially leading to serious complications such as cardiac disease and diabetes. This risk underscores the importance of regular monitoring and the potential need for chelation therapy to help manage iron levels in these patients.

The other conditions listed are either unrelated to the complications of transfusion therapy in beta-thalassemia or are not commonly associated as direct complications stemming from it. For example, leukemia and hemophilia are not typical consequences of long-term transfusion therapy, while anemia is a condition being treated through the transfusions themselves rather than a complication of them. Thus, hemosiderosis stands