What Are Symptoms and Complications of Beta Thalassemia?
Not everyone with beta thalassemia has symptoms, but people who do likely benefit from treatment.
Beta thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder. It may cause you to have not enough hemoglobin, which is a protein in your red blood cells that carries oxygen. This may cause anemia, when your body is unable to carry oxygen throughout the body.
Some people carry the trait but do not have symptoms, but they can still pass on the trait to children. For people who have symptoms, beta thalassemia may range from mild to severe. “Severe anemia is the main complication related to more aggressive forms of beta thalassemia,” says Jonathan Feld, MD, Hematology Specialist at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.
- Jonathan Feld, MDJonathan Feld, MD, is a hematology specialist at The Mount Sinai Hospital.
References
American Society of Hematology. (n.d.). Anemia.
Bajway, H., et al. (2022). Thalassemia. StatPearls.
MedlinePlus. (2016). Anemia.
MedlinePlus. (2022). Hemoglobin.
Needs, T., et al. (2022). Beta thalassemia. StatPearls