What should I eat if I occasionally feel dizzy due to thalassemia?

Written by Zhang Xiao Le

Hematology

Updated on September 09, 2024

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Patients with thalassemia who experience dizziness typically indicate worsening anemia, and can take folic acid tablets orally. Folic acid is an important raw material for the production of red blood cells, and supplementing with folic acid aids in the recovery from anemia. Thalassemia is a hereditary hemolytic anemia, and there is currently no specific drug for its treatment; it is primarily managed symptomatically. If the anemia is severe, red blood cell transfusions may also be used to correct the anemia. Additionally, severe thalasemia may consider allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Apart from anemia, further investigations should be conducted to rule out cervical spondylosis, cerebrovascular diseases, and otolithiasis when dealing with dizziness in thalassemia patients.

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Written by He Li Fang

Hematology

1min 18sec

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Mediterranean anemia's blood routine manifestations

The hematological manifestations of thalassemia, including those of silent gene carriers, generally show normal complete blood counts. In thalassemia and mild thalassemia, hemoglobin levels are normal or slightly decreased. Patients with Hemoglobin H disease have hemoglobin levels between 70-100 grams per liter. In cases of Hemoglobin Bart's hydrops fetalis syndrome and severe thalassemia, hemoglobin levels are typically below 50 grams per liter, falling into the category of severe anemia, requiring regular blood transfusions for survival. Their MCV, MCH, and MCHC are significantly decreased. Blood smears may reveal anisocytosis and poikilocytosis including target cells, and even nucleated red cells, with a marked increase in reticulocytes. Typically, the white blood cell count remains normal for such patients, although the platelet count may be slightly elevated. During periods of increased spleen activity, there may be a reduction in both white blood cells and platelets. These are the hematologic features observed in different thalassemia patients.

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Written by Zhang Xiao Le

Hematology

52sec

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What should I eat if I occasionally feel dizzy due to thalassemia?

Patients with thalassemia who experience dizziness typically indicate worsening anemia, and can take folic acid tablets orally. Folic acid is an important raw material for the production of red blood cells, and supplementing with folic acid aids in the recovery from anemia. Thalassemia is a hereditary hemolytic anemia, and there is currently no specific drug for its treatment; it is primarily managed symptomatically. If the anemia is severe, red blood cell transfusions may also be used to correct the anemia. Additionally, severe thalasemia may consider allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Apart from anemia, further investigations should be conducted to rule out cervical spondylosis, cerebrovascular diseases, and otolithiasis when dealing with dizziness in thalassemia patients.

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Written by He Li Fang

Hematology

2min 14sec

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How long can someone with thalassemia live?

The lifespan of patients with thalassemia depends on its specific type. Thalassemia is categorized into four types: silent carrier, thalassemia trait, hemoglobin H disease, and hemoglobin Bart's hydrops fetalis syndrome. Among these, silent carriers and those with thalassemia trait present no clinical symptoms or characteristics. Patients with hemoglobin H disease appear normal at birth and show no symptoms of anemia before the age of one. As they age, the characteristics of hemoglobin H disease gradually emerge, manifesting as mild to severe chronic anemia. However, these patients do not exhibit the physical appearance typical of hemoglobin anemia, their physiological development is normal, and they can live long term without significant impact on lifespan. Patients with hemoglobin Bart's hydrops fetalis syndrome can cause stillbirth, miscarriage, or premature birth during the late pregnancy stages of 30 to 40 weeks, and most die within hours, significantly affecting lifespan. Thalassemia is also divided into mild, intermediate, and severe forms. Most patients with mild thalassemia have no symptoms, though a few may show signs of mild anemia and have normal growth and development without skeletal abnormalities. Severe thalassemia patients, however, are indistinguishable from normal infants at birth but start to show clinical symptoms between three to six months old, and the anemia progressively worsens. They require regular blood transfusions for survival. These patients often evolve to develop the typical appearance associated with thalassemia. Due to long-term transfusions, they suffer from iron overload, compromised immune systems, recurrent infections, and myocardial damage. Consequently, many children with severe thalassemia die young, and those who live into their teens often exhibit delayed sexual maturity and underdeveloped secondary sexual characteristics.

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Written by He Li Fang

Hematology

1min

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What is thalassemia?

Thalassemia, commonly referred to as thalassemia, is a type of hereditary hemolytic anemia caused by mutations or deletions in the globin gene, leading to insufficient synthesis of globin peptide chains. This condition is termed thalassemia when characterized by a deficiency in globin chains. Clinically, based on the severity of the anemia, it is categorized into mild, intermediate, and severe types. The disease is widely distributed in many regions of the world, predominantly prevalent in the Mediterranean area, the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia, and southern China, including Guangxi, Guangdong, Sichuan, Hong Kong, northern Taiwan, as well as Yunnan, Guizhou, Hainan, Fujian, Hunan, and Hubei, with less prevalence in the north of China.

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Written by Zhang Xiao Le

Hematology

52sec

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Mediterranean anemia has symptoms such as fatigue, paleness, delayed growth, and facial bone deformities.

Thalassemia is a hereditary hemolytic anemia, and the symptoms of patients with thalassemia are related to their specific types. Thalassemia can be divided into mild, intermediate, and severe types. Mild thalassemia clinically may have no symptoms or only mild anemia, sometimes accompanied by mild splenomegaly; Intermediate thalassemia can present with moderate anemia, noticeable fatigue, and splenomegaly, with a few cases experiencing mild skeletal changes and delayed sexual development; Severe thalassemia in children manifests within the first half-year after birth with pallor, progressively worsening anemia, jaundice, hepatosplenomegaly, delayed growth and development, and distinctive facial features such as frontal bossing, a depressed nasal bridge, and increased distance between the eyes.