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Thalassemia
Thalassemia
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CASE STUDY
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• 7 years 9 months, boy
• Immunisation up to age
• Antenatally uneventful
• Not known medical illness, not known allergy
• No history of hospitalisation
• Height 117 cm (at 5th -10th centile), Weight 19 kg (< 5th centile)
• Admitted from 17 -20/3/2023
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• Main concern: pallor and jaundice looking since December 2022 (for about
4 months)
• Presented with:
1. high grade fever
• up to 380c on 11/3/2023-14/3/2023
• no chills or rigors
• temporarily settled in between for two days
• however reoccur back on 17/3/2023,requiring paracetamol 6 hourly
at home
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2. Pallor and jaundice for about 4 months
• Mother noted pallor and jaundice more prominent after child
developed fever
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• Otherwise, still active, appetite remains good, no tea colored urine, no
hematura,no headache, no dizziness, no dyspnoea, no palpitations no
URTI symptoms, no sick contact, no recent travelling or river
swimming, no rodent
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• On further history, prior marriage, father has screened for
thalassemia, claim he himself was diagnosed with beta
thalassemia? Trait (no documentation, or any formal report traced
from SGH), never required blood transfusion previously.
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Diet history
• 1 meal/day
• Taking rice ~4 spoons to 1 plate
• Also taking friend chicken (2 wings), eggs, fish
• Does not like vegetables (leafy vegetables, fruit)
• Taking 1 glass pediasure 2x/day
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• Developmental up to age
• Currently Standard 2, mother stated no issues at school.
• Family history
NKMI
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• Brought to Private clinic on 17/3/2023, then referred to Hospital Sibu
for further investigation and management
• At ETD, PR 131 /min, RR 21/ min, T: 36.1 C, SpO2: 100%, HGT 5.1
mmol/L
• Documented pale, P/A : splenomegaly
• Hb: 6.8 WBC 11.4 PLT 417 ALC 4.5 ANC 6.0
• MCV 64.3 MCH 20.8 RBC 3.27
• Mentzer index: 19.7
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Physical examination
• Alert, pale looking, not tachypneic, RR 24/min, good pulse volume,
CRT <2 seconds, warm peripheries
• Chipmunk facies – frontal bossing, prominent zygomatic bones
• Broad ribs
• Lungs: clear, good air entry
• CVS: soft systolic murmur, apex beat at 6th intercostal space,
• Abdomen: soft not distended, spleen 7 cm, bilateral cervical lymph
nodes palpable prominent over left side largest 3x3cm,bilateral shotty
cervical lymph nodes palpable, no body rashes seen
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Progression in ward
• Hemodynamically child was stable throughout the ward stay
• Transfused 20ml/kg packed cell (380mls over 4 hours) on 17/3/2023.
Uneventful
• Has few episodes of temperature spike in ward, given syrup
paracetamol.
• Developed some mild dry cough on 20/3/2023, no rhinorhea.
• Apettite and activity remains good.
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Investigations
17/3/23 18/3/23 (post packedcell transfusion)
HCT 19.4
MCV 62 72.3
MCHC 29.9
RBC 3.14
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Na (mmol/L) 132
K (mmol/L) 3.4
Cl (mmol/L) 100
Creatinine (mmol/L) 43
Calcium 2.29
Mg 1.02
P04 2.39
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Total Bilirubin (umol/L) 12.9
AST (U/L) 44
ALT(U/L) 20
Albumin (g/L) 44
Globulin (g/L) 37
UA 306
Ferritin 528.70
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•Hep B/Hep C/HIV/VDRL (17/3/2023):Non-Reactive
•PBF(17/3/2023): Suggestive of Thalassemia Intermediate
•RBC : Severe anaemia, hypochromic microcytic red blood cells, marked anisopoikilocytosis with many target
cells, tear drop cells, tear drop cells, few fragmented red blood cell and irregular contracted red blood cells. Few
nucleated red blood cells seen. White cell count within normal range with adequate absolute neutrophil count.
Lymphocytosis. Presence of few myelocytes and reactive lymphocytes. No blast cell seen. Adequate platelet
•Hb Analysis(17/3/2023):Pending
•Hb Analysis (Father and younger sister taken in ward on 20/3/2023):Pending
•Hb Analysis (Mother 2/12/2014) :Increase Hb A2/E with normal Hb F level. Findings are compatible with HbE
trait
•RBC phenotyping(17/3/2023) prior transfusion: Pending
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Upon discharge
• Active, cheerful, pink tolerating orally well, fever settled, no GI losses. Last fever spike 38.9 0c 10.00pm
19/3/2023,no cough
•Clinically ,comfortable, lungs clear, heart S1S2 no murmur, abdomen soft not distended
•Liver 4cm,spleen 4 cm soft
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Plan:
1. TCA Peads Oncology Visiting Clinic under Dr Betty on 14/4/2023 10am with repeated FBC/DC taken on
13/4/2023
2. To take FBC/DC and GSH on 13/4/2023 in ward 26 (to see Dr. Darshini to trace the HB analysis with RBC
phenotyping)
3. To trace the RBC Phenotyping and Hb Analysis (taken 17/3/2023) on 13/4/2023.
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Differential diagnosis
Leptospirosis
• Points for: jaundice, fever
• Points against: no rodent exposure, no history of river swimming
Malaria
• Points for: fever
• Points against: no history of jungle trekking
Iron deficiency anaemia
• Points for: pale looking
• Points against: fever, presence of splenomegaly
Viral fever
• Points for: fever
• Points against: no sick contact, pallor, jaundice
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Theory
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• Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder characterized by decreased
haemoglobin production.
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• On chromosome 11, there are 5 genes within the beta (β) gene cluster:
• epsilon (ε)
• gamma 1 (γ1 )
• gamma 2 (γ2 )
• delta (δ)
• beta (β)
• On chromosome 16, there are 3 genes within the alpha (α) gene cluster:
• zeta (ζ)
• alpha 1 (α1 )
• alpha 2 (α2 ).
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• Thalassemia is inherited
through autosomal recessive
• Beta thalassemia
• point mutations on
chromosome 11
• Alpha thalassemia
• gene deletions on chromosome
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Pathophysiology: β-Thalassemia Syndromes
Anemia and increased erythroid
Inadequate β-globin production
gene production leads
to decreased levels of
normal hemoglobin Excess α-globin chains
(HbA) are very unstable,
precipitate in RBC Marked increase in erythropoiesis,
precursors, damage the with early erythroid precursor
RBC membrane, and death in the bone marrow
shorten RBC survival
Unbalanced α- and β-
globin chain production
leads to ineffective
erythropoiesis Ineffective erythropoiesis and the
compensatory massive marrow
expansion and hepatospleenomegaly
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Nelson Textbook of Paediatrics 21 ed
st 26
β-Thalassemia Genotype Clinical features FBC parameters
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Pathophysiology: α-Thalassemia Syndromes
Silent Carrier
(-α/αα)
α-Thalassaemia
trait
(-α/-α, αα/--)
Deletion mutation of α- A reduction in α-globin
globin gene production
Hb H Disease
(--/-a)
Hydrops Fetalis/
Hb Bart
(--/--)
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Nelson Textbook of Paediatrics 21 ed
st 28
α-Thalassemia Genotype Clinical features FBC parameters
Trait (-α/-α, αα/--) • Clinically normal / mild anaemia • Haematological parameters may
have mild anaemia with reduced
MCV & MCH
Hydrops Fetalis/Hb (--/--) • Fetus relies on HbF (ααγγ) to get oxygen from mother’s blood
Bart • No production of α-globin chain but normal γ-globin production
• Excess γ-globin bind to each other and form Hb Barts (γ4)
• Hb Barts have high oxygen affinity, prevent oxygen release to tissue
• Tissue hypoxia and hydrops fetalis
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Clinical Features of β-Thalassaemia major
• Presentation at 3-6 months-old or younger than 2 years-old
• Thalassaemic facies / Chipmunk facies :
• Frontal bossing
• Prominent maxilla
• Depressed nose bridge
• Hepatosplenomegaly
• Failure to thrive/growth failure
• Stunting
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CPG Management of Transfusion Dependent Thalassaemia, 2009.
• Pallor
• Jaundice
• Severe anaemia (Hb 3-7
g/dl)
• Need for repeated blood
transfusion
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Clinical Features of β-Thalassaemia Intermedia
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CPG Management of Transfusion Dependent Thalassaemia, 2009.
Baseline investigations for ALL new patients
• Full blood count ( in typical cases, the Hb is usually below than 7g/dl)
• Peripheral blood film
• Mandatory: Hemoglobin analysis by electrophoresis or HPLC (High-performance liquid
chromatography)
• Typical findings for Beta thalassemia major:
HbA decreased or absent, HbF increased, HbA2 variable
Others:
• Red cell phenotyping (required) before first transfusion.
• DNA analysis
• β- gene analysis & α-gene analysis
• Infective screening: HIV, Hepatitis B & C, VDRL (prior transfusion)
• All nuclear family members must be investigated by Hb nalysis for genetic counselling
• 1st & 2nd degree relatives is encouraged to be screened & counselled ( for cascade screening)
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Genetic counselling
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CPG Management of Transfusion Dependent Thalassaemia, 2009.
Cascade screening
Role:
1. Preventing thalassaemia births is based on identifying individuals at
risk, providing adequate information on risk and possibilities to reduce
that risk.
2. Screening family members of an index case (thalassaemia major or
carriers)
CPG Management of Transfusion Dependent Thalassaemia, 2009.
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CPG Management of Transfusion Dependent Thalassaemia, 2009. 36
Management of Thalassemia
- Blood transfusion therapy
- Iron chelation therapy
- Splenectomy
- Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
- Monitoring of Patients
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Blood Transfusion Therapy
• Aim: To suppress extramedullary haemopoiesis while minimizing complications of
transfusion & maintain normal well being.
When to start?
THALASSEMIA MAJOR:
Once dx confirmed THALASSEMIA
• Bone changes
OR INTERMEDIA:
• Hb <8g/dl (maxillary /
After completing Hb <7g/dl on 2
Evidence of impaired mandibular
blood investigations occasions > 2 weeks
apart growth attributed to prominence)
to confirm the
Absence of other anaemia after • Enlarging liver and
diagnosis. excluding other causes
factors e.g. infection spleen
Poor growth (CPG) e.g. dietary, • Para spinal masses
constitutional
• The above targets allow for normal physical activity & growth, abolishes
chronic hypoxaemia & reduces compensatory marrow hyperplasia which
causes irreversible facial bone changes & para spinal masses.
• GI disturbances
• Arthritis
Complications • Idiopathic agranulocytosis (rare)
Weekly FBC monitoring is recommended
Stop if neutropenic (< 1,500/mm3)
46
Paediatric Protocols For Malaysian Hospitals 4th Ed
Complications of Chronic Iron Overload
Endocrine Growth retardation
Impaired glucose tolerance
Pubertal delay
Hypothyroidism
Hypoparathyroidism
Diabetes Mellitus
Cardiac Arrhythmias
Pericarditis
Cardiac failure
Hepatic Liver cirrhosis
(with Hep B/C infection)
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Paediatric Protocols For Malaysian Hospitals 4 th Ed
Splenectomy
• Indication:
Evidence of hypersplenism
Splenomegaly
Persistent leucopaenia or thrombocytopenia
Defined by blood consumption volume of RBC >1.5X normal or >200-220
mls/kg/year in patient > 5 years of age to maintain Hb levels.
• NB!
Pneumococcal & HIB vaccinations 4-6 weeks prior to splenectomy
Meningococcal vaccine required in endemic areas
Penicillin prophylaxis for life after splenectomy
Low dose aspirin (75 mg/day) if thrombocytosis > 800,000/mm3 after
splenectomy
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Paediatric Protocols For Malaysian Hospitals 4 th Ed
Complications of Splenectomy
1. Sepsis
• Major long-term risk.
• Streptococcus pneumoniae (50-90%) infection in post-splenectomy patient.
• Others organism: Haemophilus, Neisseria & other capsulated gram-negative organism;
Protozoan like babeosis, malaria
• Note if there are febrile episode in 1st 2 years post-splenectomy
3. Thrombocytosis
• Known complication
• May consider use of low dose aspirin or dipyridamole if platelet count > 800 x
109/L
4. Pulmonary hypertension
• Occurs due to thromboembolic involvement in pulmonary microvasculature.
Yearly Annual volume of pure RBC transfused per kg body weight (use median body weight)
Evaluate growth & development
Endocrine assessment (Modified GTT, T4/TSH, Ca, PO4; If CA low, check PTH & Vit D)
Bone: osteoporosis & skeletal abnormalities
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Paediatric Protocols For Malaysian Hospitals 4th Ed
• Diet & Supplements • Support Group
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Endocrine Complications
Hypogonadism
Hypoparathyroidism Hypoadrenalism
Glycemic
Osteoporosis
abnormalities
HEPATITIS B HEPATITIS C
INFECTIONS
BACTERIAL INFECTIONS IN
HIV TRANSFUSION DEPENDENT
THALASSAEMIA
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