This section includes more information about thalassaemia, including links to information leaflets made for patients and families. You will also find information about treatment options.
Here is some general information available via links to external sites:
- What is thalassaemia – UHBW Patient Information Leaflet
- NHS Overview – Thalassaemia
- All About Thalassaemia – cartoon for young children (Thalassaemia International Foundation)
- UK Thalassaemia Society – My baby has thalassaemia
- About our service at UHBW
- Possible alpha thalassaemia – UHBW Patient Information Leaflet
- Congenital Anaemia Network – HbH disease information leaflet
Treatments
Blood transfusions are used in the management of people with transfusion dependent thalassaemia (thalassaemia major). These are usually given at regular intervals (for example, every 4 weeks). People with thalassaemia intermedia may need blood transfusions when they are unwell, or their body is under stress for example during pregnancy.
Patients on regular blood transfusions will also likely need to be on medications called iron chelators which help to remove the extra iron in their body which comes from the blood transfusions.
- Exjade (deferasirox) handbook
- NHS Blood & Transplant – about blood transfusion
- UKTS – blood transfusion therapy
Stem cell transplant is a potentially curative treatment for thalassaemia but is performed relatively rarely.Patients with more severe complications may be eligible.