Thalassemia: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, and Relevant References

This assignment provides an overview of Thalassemia, a blood disorder impacting hemoglobin production. It defines Thalassemia, explaining its causes, which are related to genetic defects impacting alpha and beta globin production, leading to conditions like alpha and beta thalassemia. The assignment details the signs and symptoms, including fatigue, bone deformities, dark urine, and weakness. Treatment options are also discussed, including iron chelation, blood transfusions, and stem cell transplants. The assignment references a journal article to support the information presented.

Thalassemia

Table of Contents
Thalassemia Definition ........................................................................................................................3
Causes of Thalassemia.........................................................................................................................3
Types ....................................................................................................................................................3
Signs and Symptoms ...........................................................................................................................3
REFERENCES ....................................................................................................................................4

Thalassemia Definition
It is a kind of blood disorder that makes the body abnormal as it is inherited through their
families that makes the body of a person abnormal. Hemogloblin is a protein within red blood cells
that carries the sufficient amount of Oxygen throughout the body. In this disorder supply of oxygen
is inadequate amount and result within large amount of blood cells are destroyed that results into the
anemia (Astarani, and Siburian, 2016).
Causes of Thalassemia
Hemoglobin made of two protiens
Beta globin
Alpha globin
Occurcence of Thalassemia due to the defect within gene that aids to control production of one of
above protiens.
Types
 Alpha thalassemia occurs most of the people form middel east,china,southeast asia as well
as in African people.It occurs because of the alpha globin changed and missing.
 Beta thalassemia occurs within the Mediterranean, Chinese, other Asian and African.
Occurs due to the defect of gene that impact the prodiction of protin Globin.
Signs and Symptoms
 Fatigue,
 face bone deformities
 dark urine
 slow growth
 Abdominal swelling
 Weakness
 yellowish skin or pale skin
Some of the babies showrs these symptoms as the time of birth while other can develop such
symptons within the first two years of their life (Astarani, and Siburian, 2016).
Treatment of Thalassemia
It can treatmented through iron chelation and frequent blood tranfusions
chelation therapy
It removes the excess amount of iron form the blood of the patient as iron can be build because of
the regular transfusions.
Blood transfusion
Require to transfusion of blood weekly as overtime blood builds the iron within their blood and
responsible for damaaging liver,heart and other parts of body.
Stem cell transplant
It is also known as Bone marrow transplant as it can be a an option within some cases.

REFERENCES
Books and Journal
Astarani, K. and Siburian, G.G., 2016. Gambaran Kecemasan Orang Tua pada Anak dengan
Thalasemia. JURNAL STIKES RS Baptis Kediri. 9(1).