Thalassemia minor: symptoms, causes and treatment

Definition

What is thalassemia minor?

Thalassemia minor is a type of thalassemia that is classified as mild. This condition is also calledthalassemia trait or the nature of thalassemia because it is only a carrier.

Generally, thalassemia minor sufferers only show no signs and symptoms at all. Even so, some of them may experience mild anemia.

Another type of thalassemia, namely thalassemia major, is usually a more severe condition.

The thalassemia gene can be passed from a patient to his child. If a person has thalassemia minor even though he does not show any symptoms, the problematic gene can still be passed on to the child or offspring.

Thalassemia occurs when the genes forming hemoglobin, namely the alpha and beta chains, are damaged. A person may experience beta or alpha minor thalassemia.

How common is this condition?

According to the National Human Genome Research Institute website, about 100,000 babies are born with severe thalassemia each year. This disease is more common in people of Italian, Greek, Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African descent.

Signs and symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of thalassemia minor?

The signs and symptoms of minor thalassemia are usually mild, even if they don't appear at all. This is because there are not too many red blood cells affected by this condition.

People who have no symptoms are generally referred to as carrier or carriers of thalassemia traits. Even though there is a slight problem in the red blood cells, the oxygen distribution in the blood can still work normally.

However, there are also people with thalassemia minor with symptoms that resemble mild anemia. Common symptoms are feeling tired and the skin looks pale.

There may be other signs and symptoms of this disease that have not been mentioned. For more complete information, discuss with your doctor.

Cause

What causes thalassemia minor?

Thalassemia is a disease triggered by genetic factors. In other words, the main cause of thalassemia is a gene mutation in the body. This problematic gene will affect the production of hemoglobin, a substance found in red blood cells.

In hemoglobin, there are protein chains, namely alpha and beta chains. In thalassemia, the severity of this disease can be seen from how many genes are damaged, both in the formers of alpha and beta chains.

This disease occurs because of damage to a few genes that make up hemoglobin. That is why, the severity of this disease is relatively light. In fact, some people are just carrier or carriers of the mutated hemoglobin gene.

Alpha thalassemia minor occurs due to the destruction of 1 or 2 of the 4 normal alpha chain genes. Meanwhile, beta minor thalassemia occurs due to damage to 1 of 2 normal genes.

Risk factors

What are the factors that increase my risk of getting this disease?

Thalassemia of any type is at risk of being passed down from family members who have the disease. This means that family or parental history is a major risk factor.

If a person has thalassemia or carries a thalassemia trait gene, the gene can be passed on to his child.

Not only heredity, race is also known to play a role in increasing a person to experience thalassemia. Some races are more likely to get this disease, such as people of Middle Eastern, Asian, and African descent.

Diagnosis and treatment

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

How is this disease diagnosed?

The most common tests performed to diagnose thalassemia minor are blood tests or complete blood counts. The doctor will usually check the shape of the blood cells and find out if there is a gene mutation in the hemoglobin.

Thalassemia diagnosis can also be made while the baby is still in the womb. This test is mandatory if one or both of the baby's parents have the thalassemia gene. Usually, the test is done at 11 or 16 weeks of pregnancy, depending on the type of test being performed.

How to treat thalassemia minor?

Most cases of thalassemia minor are mild and rarely cause dangerous complications of thalassemia. Therefore, long-term treatment of thalassemia such as blood transfusions or surgical procedures is usually unnecessary.

Generally, doctors will only prescribe supplements of vitamin B12 or folic acid to treat mild symptoms of anemia that are often found in people with this disease. The content of folic acid can help the development of red blood cells.

Prevention

What can I do to prevent or alleviate this disease?

Thalassemia minor often does not cause life-threatening symptoms. However, patients are advised to maintain a healthy lifestyle in order to avoid the risk of complications. Here are some tips to try:

• Follow a healthy diet that is high in calcium, vitamin D and folic acid.
• Limit your intake of foods, drinks, and supplements that are high in iron.
• Maintain the body's immune system so that it is not susceptible to infections that can harm the body.