The previous article was about the diagnosis & symptoms of
Thalassemia & this one is, about the symptoms & the complication of
thalassemia. The symptom widely differ depends upon the severity of the
disease.
Symptom
of Thalassemia:
Haemoglobin is known as oxygen carrier
in the blood. In most of the thalassemia patients deficiency
of haemoglobin result in poor oxygen
level in the blood. That make the thalassemia patient condition worrisome.
Depending upon the type of thalassemia ( Major/ Minor) symptoms become
weak or strong.
i) No Symptoms
Alpha thalassemia is silent carriers generally have no signs or symptoms
of the disorder. The lack of alpha globin protein is so minor that the body's
hemoglobin works normally.
ii) Mild Anemia
People who have alpha or beta thalassemia trait can have
mild anemia. However, many people who have these types of thalassemia have
no signs or symptoms.
Mild anemia can make you feel tired. Mild anemia caused by alpha
thalassemia trait might be mistaken for iron-deficiency anemia.
iii) Mild to Moderate Anemia
People who have beta thalassemia intermedia have mild to moderate
anemia. They also may have other health problems, such as:
· a) Slowed
growth and delayed puberty. Anemia can slow down a child's growth and
development.
· b) Bone
problems. Thalassemia may cause bone marrow to expand. Bone marrow is the
spongy substance inside bones that makes blood cells. When bone marrow expands,
the bones become wider than normal. They may become brittle and break easily.
·
c) Enlarged spleen. The spleen is an
organ that helps your body fight infection and remove unwanted material. When a
person has thalassemia, the spleen has to work very hard. As a result, the
spleen becomes larger than normal. This makes anemia worse. If the spleen
becomes too large, it must be removed.
iv) Severe Anemia:
People who have hemoglobin H disease or beta thalassemia major (also
called Cooley's anemia) have severe thalassemia. Signs and symptoms usually
occur within the first 2 years of life. They may include severe anemia and
other health problems, such as:
- · A
pale and listless appearance
- · Poor
appetite
- · Dark
urine (a sign that red blood cells are breaking down)
- · Slowed
growth and delayed puberty
- · Jaundice
(a yellowish color of the skin or whites of the eyes)
- · An
enlarged spleen, liver, or heart
- · Bone
problems (especially with bones in the face)
Complications
of Thalassemias
Better treatments now allow people who have moderate and severe
thalassemias to live much longer. As a result, these people must cope with
complications of these disorders that occur over time.
Heart and Liver Diseases:
Regular blood
transfusions are a standard treatment for thalassemias. Transfusions can
cause iron to build up in the blood (iron overload). This can damage organs and
tissues, especially the heart and liver.
Heart disease
caused by iron overload is the main cause of death in people who have
thalassemias. Heart disease includes heart failure, arrhythmias (irregular
heartbeats), and heart attack.
Infection:
Among people who have thalassemias,
infections are a key cause of illness and the second most common cause of
death. People who have had their spleens removed are at even higher risk
because they no longer have this infection-fighting organ.
Osteoporosis:
Many people who have thalassemias have
bone problems, including osteoporosis. This is a condition in which bones are
weak and brittle and break easily.
Contd....
Source:
www.nhlbi.nih.gov
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