What is the difference between beta thalassemia major and minor?
What is the difference between beta thalassemia major and minor?
Someone who inherits the gene change in the beta protein from one parent has beta thalassemia minor (beta thalassemia trait). Someone who inherits a gene change in both beta proteins (one from each parent) has beta thalassemia intermedia or beta thalassemia major (Cooley’s anemia).
Can a person have both alpha and beta thalassemia?
Yes – both alpha and beta thalassemia – Hgb A2 is elevated indicating beta thalassemia. More profound microcytosis than expected and gene mutation (so alpha thalassemia). Normal Hgb because it is a balanced mutation.
Why is beta thalassemia more severe?
Beta thalassemia major (Cooley’s anemia). There are two damaged genes. This is the most severe form of this disorder. People with this condition will need frequent blood transfusions. They may not live a normal lifespan.
What is the life expectancy of someone with beta thalassemia?
Persons with the thalassemia trait have a normal life expectancy. Persons with beta thalassemia major often die from cardiac complications of iron overload by 30 years of age.
What are the two major types of thalassemia?
There are 2 main types of thalassemia: alpha and beta. Different genes are affected for each type. Thalassemia can cause mild or severe anemia. Anemia occurs when your body does not have enough red blood cells or hemoglobin.
What race is thalassemia most common in?
Factors that increase your risk of thalassemia include:
- Family history of thalassemia. 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.
Can you have both alpha thalassemia and beta thalassemia?
Alpha thalassemia means you lack alpha hemoglobin. With beta thalassemia, you lack beta hemoglobin. Your doctor may also talk about thalassemia minor and thalassemia major, or Cooley’s anemia. The minor type is less serious than the major one, and your type won’t change. In some people, symptoms show up at birth.
What is the difference between the Alpha and the beta?
Alpha and beta are common measurements that gauge the performance of portfolio managers compared to their peers. Alpha is the excess return or active return of an investment or a portfolio. Beta measures volatility of a security or portfolio compared to the market.
How does beta thalassemia affect the body?
Complications of beta thalassemia major include: Excess iron. Kids who have beta thalassemia can end up with too much iron in their bodies, either from the disease itself or from getting repeated blood transfusions. Excess iron can cause damage to the heart, liver, and endocrine system.
What is the genetic cause of beta thalassemia?
Beta Thalassemia Major is caused by genetic mutation of the beta-globin gene on chromosome 11 and both copies of the gene are affected.