Thalassemia Health Feed

Thalassemia is a genetic (i.e., passed from parents to children through genes) blood disorder. People with Thalassemia disease are not able to make enough hemoglobin, which causes severe anemia. Hemoglobin is found in red blood cells and carries oxygen to all parts of the body. When there is not enough hemoglobin in the red blood cells, oxygen cannot get to all parts of the body. Organs then become starved for oxygen and are unable to function properly.

There are two types of Thalassemi...more

Hyperventilation due to anxiety is more of a "diagnosis of exclusion" than something to be actively investigated and diagnosis. This means, when all other possible causes of these symptoms are excluded and ruled out after a thorough work up, we make such a diagnosis in certain patients. As far as I know, there are no specific tests to conclusively diagnose hyperventilation due to anxiety. It is more of a clinical diagnosis, arrived from a detailed history and examination of the patient.

There is a 25% chance that your child may have Hemoglobin E disease. But relax. HbE disease patients are asymptomatic and can lead a healthy normal life off treatment.

In thalassemia you need first characterise that which phenotypic presentation you have major intermediate or minor and than accordingly one can manage. Till time avoid iron supplements and add folic acid.

No, it is not a life threatening disease.
Confirm the diagnosis with reliable labs, Hb-HPLC.
Precaution during the marriage age/period has to be taken.
He/she with Thalssemia minor should not marry a person with Thalassemia minor to avoid a offspring with Thalassemia major.
Thalassemia-'major' is a condition which requires life long blood transfusions, iron chelation or HLA matched Allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

Is it Thalassemia major or trait/minor.
If trait/minor no need of any treatment.
If it is major and family HLA match donor is available, Allogeneic stem cell transplant is the curative treatment. It is better to discuss Transplant treatment procedure with BMT/transplant physician working in good BMT/transplant center; it's not that simple to explain the procedures/indication/risk factors/outcome/expenditure here in this platform.
So, please, consultant Hematologist working in good tr...more

Its a genetic disease and you will not be symptomatic but during your marriage your husband should be thalassemia negative

Beta thalassemia trait is not a disease. You just are a carrier of the disease. You should just ensure that you marry somebody who is NOT a carrier of Beta thalassemia to ensure that your offspring has NO chance to have thalassemia. However in the scenario that you do eventually end up marrying somebody who is a carrier, you should first contact the local Thalassemia control center or a Hematologist to discuss what are tge steps and procedures do follow in your pregnancy to ensure that you do no...more

Ideally you can go for a hla matched sibling or unrelated transplant. However, transplant has its own problems. In that scenario regular blood transfusion and adequate iron chelation therapy should suffice to give a reasonable quality of life. However if you are adamant at cure a haplo transplant can also be done in thal major. But you must know that it is a costly procedure and can have many complications. However for that you need to consult a good centre with good expertise in haplo transplan...more