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

Written by Zhang Xiao Le
Hematology
Updated on April 02, 2025
00:00
00:00

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.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by He Li Fang
Hematology
1min 25sec home-news-image

Can a fetus with thalassemia be kept?

Thalassemia, commonly referred to as "Mediterranean anemia," is a hereditary hemolytic anemia caused by mutations or deletions in globin genes, leading to insufficient synthesis of globin peptide chains. Cases with a deficiency in the globin chain are called thalassemia. Regarding whether a thalassemia fetus should be carried to term, one must first consider the maternal family history, including any history of stillbirths, occurrences of hydrops fetalis (swelling in infants), or cases of severe thalassemia in children, as well as instances where both parents are carriers, marking a high-risk pregnancy. In such cases, strict prenatal diagnosis is required. Prenatal diagnosis includes taking samples of fetal chorion, amniotic fluid, and umbilical cord blood for genetic analysis. If severe thalassemia or Hemoglobin Barts Hydrops Fetalis Syndrome is detected in the fetus, the pregnancy should be terminated immediately. Therefore, it is recommended to terminate pregnancies where the fetus is found to have severe thalassemia or Hemoglobin Barts Hydrops Fetalis Syndrome.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Xiao Le
Hematology
1min 4sec home-news-image

What to do and what to eat for dizziness caused by thalassemia?

Patients with thalassemia who experience dizziness first need to analyze the cause of the dizziness. The vast majority of causes of dizziness are not related to diet, nor can they be corrected by eating certain foods. For patients with thalassemia experiencing dizziness, it is first necessary to consider whether the cause is worsening anemia. A drop in hemoglobin can lead to ischemia and hypoxia in the body, which can manifest as symptoms of dizziness in the nervous system. If it is confirmed that the dizziness is caused by worsening anemia, then blood transfusion treatment is needed, usually requiring the transfusion of washed red cells. Once the anemia is corrected, the symptoms of dizziness can disappear. At the same time, folic acid supplements can be added to provide raw materials for hematopoiesis. Other possible causes of dizziness include diseases such as cranial, cervical spine, and otolithiasis, all of which require further differential diagnosis. (The use of drugs should be carried out under the guidance of a physician)

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by He Li Fang
Hematology
1min home-news-image

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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Fang Fang
Hematology
36sec home-news-image

Can carriers of thalassemia have babies?

Thalassemia carriers refer to individuals where one of the four genes is a pathogenic gene. Such patients can have children. However, it is advised that the other parent of the child be completely normal. Even if the other parent is completely normal, the child has a fifty percent chance of being completely normal and a fifty percent chance of also being a carrier of thalassemia. However, although they are carriers of thalassemia, they usually do not exhibit obvious symptoms of anemia, generally having no anemia or only very mild anemia.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Fang Fang
Hematology
36sec home-news-image

Can people with thalassemia not take iron supplements?

Thalassemia is a hereditary disease, classified as hemolytic anemia. Patients with thalassemia do not suffer from iron deficiency; rather, the anemia is caused by thalassemia itself, and iron supplementation is ineffective. However, if a patient with thalassemia also has concurrent iron deficiency anemia, then iron supplementation is necessary. During iron supplement treatment, it is also essential to conduct comprehensive examinations to ascertain the cause of the iron deficiency anemia and address the underlying cause.