Thalassemia - Definition of Thalassemia

Thalassemia is a disorder of the blood of the body's failure to form normal hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the protein found in red blood cells with the primary function of delivering oxygen to all organs of the body. Disease derived from parents to children can cause damage to red blood cells, causing anemia.

Symptom

The most serious types of thalassemia are alpha thalassemia major and usually the baby is suffering from this disease will die while in the womb when the content is old age.

Children born with thalassemia major who will be born normally but suffer from severe anemia in the first year of their life.

Other symptoms of thalassemia:

   
Deformity of bone on the facial area.
    Lethargic.
    Growth disorders.
    Swelling of the liver and spleen.
    Shortness of breath.
    Yellowish skin (jaundice).

Those suffering from alpha-and beta-thalassemia minor red blood cells are smaller than normal and not cause significant symptoms.

Causes and Risk Factors

Hemoglobin is made up of two types of proteins, namely alpha globin and beta globin. Thalassemia occurs when the genes that control the formation of this protein is impaired.

There are two types of thalassemia:

Alpha thalassemia occurs when a gene associated with alpha globin disorders / mutations.

Beta thalassemia occurs when a gene associated with beta globin abnormalities / mutations.

Alpha thalassemia occurs in many areas of Southeast Asia, the Middle East, China and Africa.

Beta thalassemia usually occurs in China, some places in Asia and the Americas.

Both the above types of thalassemia have thalassemia major and minor forms.

Thalassemia major thalassemia occurs when the genes inherited from both parents are thalassemia minor whereas when the gene from only one parent. Patients with thalassemia minor have no symptoms but can mean lower thalassemia disease to their children.

Beta thalassemia is often called Cooley's anemia.

Thalassemia risk factors:

    Asian, Chinese, Mediterranean and African-Americans.
    Family history of similar illness.

Examination and Diagnostics

Physical examination found enlarged lymph nodes.

Blood tests of abnormalities in red blood cells. Shaped red blood cells are not normal / smaller when viewed under a microscope.

Found on blood count anemia.

When done inspection elektrophoresis hemoglobin found the abnormal hemoglobin.

Treatment

Treatment of thalassemia major usually with regular blood transfusions and folic acid supplementation.

When a blood transfusion, the patient is prohibited from taking iron supplements because if it is done there will be a buildup of iron in the body and is very dangerous.

Patients who receive regular blood transfusions will be performed chelation therapy to remove excess iron in the body dlam.

Bone marrow transplantation is also useful for treating this disease, especially in young children.
Tags: children, the shape of bones, genes, hemoglobin, jaundice, a yellowish, complaints, descent, skin, lethargy, shortness of breath, oxygen, Parents, blood cells, red blood cells, thalassemia, thalassemia major, thalassemia minor