What is the treatment for alpha thalassemia?
Treatment of alpha-thalassemia often includes blood transfusions to provide healthy blood cells that have normal hemoglobin. Bone marrow transplant has helped to cure a small number of individuals with severe alpha-thalassemia.
Why is thalassemia prone to infection?
What about iron overload and iron chelation – how do each of these impact infection in thalassemia? Research has shown that high amounts of iron overload in your body reduces the levels of some of the proteins of the innate immune system and so increase your risk of infection.
How do you get alpha thalassemia trait?
Why is it important to know if I have alpha thalassemia trait?
- Alpha thalassemia trait is inherited from one’s parents, like hair or eye color.
- If both parents have the trans form of alpha thalassemia trait (α-/α-), all of their children will have alpha thalassemia trait.
Is thalassemia considered a disability?
A thalassemia major person who is dependent on blood transfusions for life is 100% disabled as it is a progressing, genetic disorder. This is unlike a visually disabled person, who can be certified as 50% visual disabled if one eye has an issue.
Are there any cures for alpha thalassemia?
Treatment of alpha-thalassemia often includes blood transfusions to provide healthy blood cells that have normal hemoglobin. Bone marrow transplant has helped to cure a small number of individuals with severe alpha-thalassemia. [4]
Which is the trans form of alpha thalassemia?
The trans form of alpha thalassemia trait (a-/a-) is common in African-Americans (20–30 percent) and people of African descent. People with the second type of alpha thalassemia trait have 2 missing alpha globin genes on the same chromosome (aa/–). This is called the cis form of alpha thalassemia trait.
What are the symptoms of silent alpha thalassemia?
Common symptoms for each type may include: Silent alpha thalassemia carrier. This type has no symptoms. Alpha thalassemia carrier. You may have mild anemia. You may have no symptoms. Or you may have mild symptoms such as mild fatigue or exercise intolerance. Hemoglobin H disease.
Can a baby be diagnosed with alpha thalassemia?
In general, if iron deficiency anemia is ruled out and beta thalassemia trait is ruled out, the patient has alpha thalassemia trait. If necessary, this can be confirmed by genetic testing. Hemoglobin H can be identified on the newborn screen as well.