HbH
B4 tetramer
HbBarts
y4 tetramer
Thalassemia
decreased (imbalanced) production of normal globin chains (quantitative disorder0
Thalassemias result in… (4)
Alpha globin present on chromosome ___
16
Beta globin present on chromosome ____
11
Microcytic anemias (4)
I. Iron deficiency
ii. Thalassemia syndromes:
1. A-thal, B-thal, sickle thal, HbE syndromes
iii. Severe lead poisoning (children)
iv. Chronic disease/inflammation
Explain the meaning of the terms thalassemia major, thalassemia intermedia, and thalassemia minor
Minor: mild anemia, asymptomatic trait state
Intermedia: moderate anemia, intermittent transfusions
Major: severe anemia, transfusion-dependent
HbE
B-globin gene mutation (glu → lys, at position 26)) → creates unstable mRNA → less production
A-thal trait
2 a gene deletion = thalassemia minor
Hbh disease
3 a gene deletion = thalassemia intermedia
Hydrops fatalis
4 a gene deletion = thalassemia major
Clinical manifestations of alpha thalassemias:
___ RBCs = ___ MCV
Small RBCs = ↓ MCV (mean corpuscular volume)
CM alpha thal:
____ MCHC and MCH
Low
CM alpha thal:
____ RBCs = ____ RDW
NORMAL
CM alpha thal:
___ in RBC production = ____ RBC
compensatory increase in RBC production = increased RBC
CM alpha thal:
____ red cell survival = ____ reticulocyte count
decreased
increased
CM alpha thal:
____ of intracellular RBC contents (such as: ____, _____, and ____)
increase
Indirect (unconjugated) bilirubin, Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)
spleen in alpha thalassemia
splenomegaly
Peripheral smear of alpha thalassemia (3)
Diagnosis of alpha thal:
2 genes deleted->
microcytosis
Diagnosis of alpha thal:
3 genes deleted->
anemia, microcytosis
Diagnosis of exclusion for alpha thal (3)
microcytosis, without iron deficiency, and with normal electrophoresis
Clinical manifestations of Cooley’s anemia (6)