Introduction Thalassemia is a hereditary disease of the red blood cells. It involves a defect in hemoglobin, an iron-containing protein complex responsible for the red blood cells’ ability to bind oxygen. It is not produced in sufficient quantities or is broken down in greater quantities, resulting in a haemoglobin deficiency. Depending on the severity of … Thalassemia
Prognosis The prognosis of thalassemia is strongly dependent on the severity of the disease. Patients with mild forms can usually lead a normal life without major restrictions. In the severe form of the disease, the effectiveness of the therapy and any complications that arise are important. The prognostic prospects of the disease in the individual … Prognosis | Thalassemia
What are petechiae? Petechiae are small punctiform bleedings that can occur in all organs. Typically, petechiae become noticeable when they are in the skin. Petechiae cannot be pushed away, unlike other punctiform changes in the skin. If you press the petechiae with a glass spatula, they do not disappear, as they are bleedings and not … Causes of petechiae
Definition Sickle cell anaemia is a genetic disease of the blood or more precisely of the red blood cells (erythrocytes). There are two different forms depending on the inheritance: a so-called heterozygous and homozygous form. The forms are based on a disturbed form of the erythrocytes. In the absence of oxygen, they take on a … Sickle cell anemia – How dangerous is it really?
Diagnosis Several methods can detect the sickle cell shape of the red blood cells. The easiest way to do this is by observation: If a drop of blood is spread out on a glass slide and sealed against air, affected erythrocytes take on the sickle shape (called sickle cells or drepanocytes). So-called target-cells or shooting-disk … Diagnosis | Sickle cell anemia – How dangerous is it really?
Associated symptoms The clinical picture of the symptoms depends on whether the affected person is a homozygous or heterozygous carrier. In the homozygous form, one can generally speak of the more severe form. Patients already suffer hemolytic crises and organ infarctions in childhood due to circulatory disorders. A hemolytic crisis is a complication of hemolytic … Associated symptoms | Sickle cell anemia – How dangerous is it really?
Therapy In the case of homozygous carriers, an attempt can be made to integrate the cultivation of normal erythrocytes in the body with an allogenic stem cell transplant. For this purpose, blood-forming stem cells are transferred to a sibling or a stranger, which then take over the (correct) blood formation. This is also done, for … Therapy | Sickle cell anemia – How dangerous is it really?
What medications are contraindicated? In principle, all drugs that increase the viscosity of the blood or impair the oxygen supply should be avoided. For example, sickle-cell patients should refrain from taking contraceptives containing estrogen, as these increase their risk of thrombosis. Drugs that act on the autonomic nervous system and narrow the vessels (vasoconstrictive drugs) … What medications are contraindicated? | Sickle cell anemia – How dangerous is it really?
Synonyms Primary siderosis, hemosiderosis, siderophilia, iron storage disease English: hematochromatosis Introduction Hemochromatosis is a disease in which there is an increased absorption of iron in the upper small intestine. This increased absorption of iron causes the total iron in the body to rise from 2-6g to values up to 80g. This iron overload results in … Hemochromatosis
Symptoms The symptoms of hemochromatosis are caused by increased iron deposition in various organs, resulting in cell damage. Among other things, there are deposits in: At the beginning of the disease, the affected persons usually do not notice any symptoms or changes. Only after several years do symptoms appear for the first time. Typical are … Symptoms | Hemochromatosis
Diagnosis If hemochromatosis is symptomatically suspected, blood is taken for initial clarification and it is checked whether the transferrin saturation is above 60% and whether the serum ferritin is above 300ng/ml at the same time. Transferrin serves as an iron transporter in the blood, while ferritin takes over the function of an iron store in … Diagnosis | Hemochromatosis
Therapy The therapy of hemochromatosis consists of a reduction of body iron. This is usually achieved with the relatively old therapy of bloodletting. The bloodletting therapy consists of two phases: It is important that these bloodletting procedures take place regularly to ensure that new blood is produced evenly. Dietary measures also play an important role … Therapy | Hemochromatosis
