Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
makes an abnormal form of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that
carries oxygen. The disorder results in large numbers of red blood cells being destroyed,
which leads to anemia.
Back to TopCauses
Hemoglobin is made of two proteins: Alpha globin and beta globin. Thalassemia occurs when there is a defect in a
gene that helps control production of one of these proteins.
Alpha thalassemia occurs when a gene or genes related to the alpha globin protein are missing or changed (mutated).
Beta thalassemia occurs when similar gene defects affect production of the beta globin protein.
Alpha thalassemias occur most often in persons from Southeast Asia, the Middle East, China, and in those of African
descent.
Beta thalassemias occur most often in persons of Mediterranean origin. To a lesser extent, Chinese, other Asians, and
African Americans can be affected.
There are many forms of thalassemia. Each type has many different subtypes. Both alpha and beta thalassemia
include the following two forms:
Thalassemia major
Thalassemia minor
You must inherit the gene defect from both parents to develop thalassemia major.
Thalassemia minor occurs if you receive the faulty gene from only one parent. Persons with this form of the disorder
are carriers of the disease. Most of the time, they do not have symptoms.
Back to TopSymptoms
The most severe form of alpha thalassemia major causes stillbirth (death of the unborn baby during birth or the late
stages of pregnancy).
Children born with thalessemia major (Cooley's anemia) are normal at birth, but develop severe anemia during the
first year of life.
Persons with the minor form of alpha and beta thalassemia have small red blood cells but no symptoms.
Back to TopTreatment
Treatment for thalassemia major often involves regular blood transfusions and folate supplements.
If you receive blood transfusions, you should not take iron supplements. Doing so can cause a high amount of iron to
build up in the body, which can be harmful.
Persons who receive a lot of blood transfusions need a treatment called chelation therapy. This is done to remove
excess iron from the body.
A bone marrow transplant may help treat the disease in some patients, especially children.
Back to TopReferences
Giardina PJ, Forget BG. Thalassemia syndromes. In: Hoffman R, Benz EJ, Shattil SS, et al., eds. Hematology: Basic
Principles and Practice. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone; 2008:chap 41.
DeBaun MR, Frei-Jones M, Vichinsky E. Hemoglobinopathies. In: Kliegman RM, Behrman RE, Jenson HB, Stanton
BF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 19th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier; 2011:chap 456