Why does thalassemia cause pale skin?

In people with beta thalassemia, low levels of hemoglobin lead to a lack of oxygen in many parts of the body. Affected individuals also have a shortage of red blood cells (anemia ), which can cause pale skin, weakness, fatigue, and more serious complications.

Is thalassemia more common in ethnicity?

Certain ethnic groups are at greater risk: Alpha thalassemia most often affects people who are of Southeast Asian, Indian, Chinese, or Filipino descent. Beta thalassemia most often affects people who are of Mediterranean (Greek, Italian and Middle Eastern), Asian, or African descent.

Why does thalassemia cause jaundice?

Individuals with thalassemia have hyperbilirubinemia secondary to ongoing hemolysis and ineffective erythropoiesis. Iron loading occurs because of increased iron absorption as well as the administration of blood transfusions.

What ethnicity does thalassemia affect?

Thalassemia is passed from parents to children through mutated hemoglobin genes. Certain ancestry. Thalassemia occurs most often in African Americans and in people of Mediterranean and Southeast Asian descent.

At what age is thalassemia detected?

Most children with moderate to severe thalassemia receive a diagnosis by the time they are 2 years old. People with no symptoms may not realize that they are carriers until they have a child with thalassemia. Blood tests can detect if a person is a carrier or if they have thalassemia.

How do I know if I am a thalassemia carrier?

You can find out if you’re a carrier of thalassaemia by having a simple blood test. The NHS Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Screening Programme also has detailed leaflets about being a beta thalassaemia carrier or a delta beta thalassaemia carrier.

Can thalassemia patient get married?

Aim: With good care, patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia major (TDTM) can reach older ages, marry and reproduce.

How is the genetic inheritance of thalassemia determined?

The Genetic Inheritance of Thalassemia. Thalassemia is characterized by an altered form of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a protein made of heme, alpha globins, and beta globins. Almost 9 different genes help in the production of heme and any changes in these genes may lead to disorders of heme production.

How does thalassemia affect the red blood cells?

Summary Summary. Listen. Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder that reduces the production of functional hemoglobin (the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen). This causes a shortage of red blood cells and low levels of oxygen in the bloodstream, leading to a variety of health problems.

Where does beta globin come from in thalassemia?

The Inheritance of Thalassemia. The instructions for beta globin production are on chromosome 11, one gene on each chromosome for a total of two. Half of a woman’s genetic information goes into each egg, including one chromosome 11 and one chromosome 16. The same is true in the formation of sperm.

How many people are born each year with thalassemia?

Thalassemia is actually a group of inherited diseases of the blood that affect a person’s ability to produce hemoglobin, resulting in anemia. Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen and nutrients to cells in the body. About 100,000 babies worldwide are born with severe forms of thalassemia each year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hp009nEtZJ0