Exchange blood transfusions for the treatment of leg ulcerations in thalassemia intermedia.
Thalassemia intermedia is a heterogeneous, transfusion-independent form of b-thalassemia, with a clinical course dominated by multi-organ effects of chronic tissue hypoxia, in which hemoglobin F percentage seems to play an important role. We describe the case of a transfusion-independent thalassemia intermedia patient (total hemoglobin 10.7 g/dl) with high hemoglobin F percentage (70%), who presented with persistent leg ulcerations. The patient was successfully treated with one-year exchange blood transfusions, which reduced hemoglobin F percentage to 35%.
Aessopos
Athanasios
A
Cardiac Outpatient Clinic for Hemoglobinopathies, First Department of Internal Medicine, University of Athens Medical School, Laiko Hospital, Athens, Greece. aaisopos@cc.uoa.gr
Kati
Maria
M
Tsironi
Maria
M
Polonifi
Ekaterini
E
Farmakis
Dimitrios
D
D000328:Adult; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D015913:Chelation Therapy; D003676:Deferoxamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D005078:Exchange Transfusion, Whole Blood; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007871:Leg Ulcer / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy
D006454:Hemoglobins; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents; D003676:Deferoxamine