KNOW ABOUT THALASSEMIA

WORLD THALASSEMIA DAY (8th MAY)   

Thalassemia (thal-uh-SEE-me-uh) is an inherited blood disorder characterized by less hemoglobin and fewer red blood cells in your body than normal. Several types of thalassemia exist, including alpha-thalassemia, beta-thalassemia intermedia, Cooley's anemia and Mediterranean anemia. Hemoglobin is the substance in your red blood cells that allows them to carry oxygen. The low hemoglobin and fewer red blood cells of thalassemia may cause anemia, leaving you fatigued.

CAUSES:

Thalassemia is caused by mutations in the DNA of cells that make hemoglobin — the substance in your red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout your body. The mutations associated with thalassemia are passed from parents to children. The mutations that cause thalassemia disrupt the normal production of hemoglobin and cause low hemoglobin levels and a high rate of red blood cell destruction, causing anemia.

TYPES:

The type of thalassemia you have depends on the number of gene mutations you inherit from your parents and which part of the hemoglobin molecule is affected by the mutations. The more mutated genes, the more severe your thalassemia. Hemoglobin molecules are made of alpha and beta parts that can be affected by mutations.

Alpha-thalassemia

Four genes are involved in making the alpha hemoglobin chain. You get two from each of your parents. If you inherit:

• One mutated gene, you'll have no signs or symptoms of thalassemia. But, you are a carrier of the disease and can pass it on to your children.

• Two mutated genes, your thalassemia signs and symptoms will be mild. This condition may be called alpha-thalassemia minor, or you may be told you have an alpha-thalassemia trait.

• Three mutated genes, your signs and symptoms will be moderate to severe. This condition is also called hemoglobin H disease.

• Four mutated genes, the condition is called alpha-thalassemia major or hydrops fetalis. It usually causes a fetus to die before delivery or a newborn to die shortly after birth.

Beta-thalassemia

Two genes are involved in making the beta hemoglobin chain. You get one from each of your parents. If you inherit:

• One mutated gene, you'll have mild signs and symptoms. This condition is called beta-thalassemia minor or referred to as a beta-thalassemia trait.

 

• Two mutated genes, your signs and symptoms will be moderate to severe. This condition is called beta-thalassemia major, which is also known as Cooley's anemia. Babies born with two defective beta hemoglobin genes usually are healthy at birth, but develop signs and symptoms within the first two years of life. A milder form, called beta-thalassemia intermedia, also may occur with two mutated genes.

SYMPTOMS

Thalassemia symptoms include:

• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Pale appearance
• Yellow discoloration of skin (jaundice)
• Facial bone deformities
• Slow growth
• Abdominal swelling
• Dark urine

KNOW MORE ABOUT ASTHMA

WORLD ASTHMA DAY (6th MAY)

Asthma, the condition where you feel as if you are starving for air to breathe is actually a chronic disease of the respiratory air passages which inhibits the smooth passage of air while breathing. During the asthma attack there occurs narrowing of the airways to lungs. This is mainly due to constriction of the smooth muscle cells that surrounds the bronchi and the resulting inflammation.

SYMPTOMS

The symptoms of asthma mainly include:

• Coughing
• Wheezing
• Difficulty in breathing
• Difficulty in speaking
• Chest tightness
• Weakness

CAUSES

Asthma is actually a type of allergic reaction which is induced when exposed to certain triggers. There are different types of triggers.  The triggers which cause asthma in one person may not cause it in other i.e., these triggers may differ from person to person with each one having a specific one. Some of the most common asthma triggers are:

• Air pollution
• Tobacco
• Wood smoke and fumes
• Cold climate
• Some food stuffs
• Certain medicines
• Fugal spores
• Perfumes
• Pollen
• Physical exercise
• Emotional factors like stress, laugh etc.
• Certain food preservatives
• Respiratory infections like sinusitis, flu, cold, bronchitis etc.
• Animal fur

 TYPES

Traditionally asthma has been classified in three major types. 

1. Extrinsic asthma 

2. Intrinsic asthma

3. Mixed asthma.

1. Extrinsic Asthma also known as atopic asthma/ allergic asthma is due to the body’s immune system response to inhaled allergen or antigen. When an allergen enters the body, the immune system recognizes it as foreign substance or antigen and produces corresponding antibodies to fight against it. Thus in extrinsic asthma there is an increase in the serum IgE level.

2.Intrinsic Asthma / Non allergic asthma on the other hand is caused due to factors like infection, cold whether, emotional factors, some medicines, exercise, food preservatives etc. This type of asthma is not allergy related and no antibodies are produced. Here asthma attack is induced due to the irritation of muscle cells or nerve cells in the airways and those suffering from intrinsic asthma will be hypersensitive.

3. In Mixed Asthma, the attack may be induced either by allergens or by certain extrinsic factors.

Asthma has been further categorized into different types as follows:

• Childhood Asthma:- In childhood asthma the individual suffers from asthma attack only during his childhood and gets cured as he grows up. This happens as the body undergoes various hormonal and functional changes during the growth phase.

• Adult Onset Asthma :- Adult onset asthma is usually affected after the age of 20 and is seen most commonly in women than in men. Asthma attack in this case is induced by allergens such as smoke, dust, polluted air etc.

• Exercise Induced Asthma :- Exercise induced asthma is also known as sports induced asthma and occurs after an exhausting exercise due to change in temperature of air in the lungs.

• Occupational Asthma:- Occupational asthma mainly develops due to the exposure to certain allergens such as gasses, plastics, dust, smoke etc. at their work place. Here the most common symptoms are running nose, irritation of eye, and cough rather than severe wheezing. Some of the most common jobs which might lead to this type of asthma include farming, animal breeding, painting, carpentry etc.

• Nocturnal Asthma:- In Nocturnal or night time asthma the symptoms are severe during night time and early hours of morning. This shows that the circadian rhythm has direct influence on asthma symptoms. The patient may have cough, wheezing and other symptoms when lying down for sleep or some times the symptoms may not be noticed until they awoke in the middle of sleep.

• Cough Variant Asthma:- In this case, the asthma patients have severe cough as the major symptom. This can be severe either in the night time or day time.

• Allergic Asthma:- Allergic asthma is mainly triggered by specific allergens. Most common symptoms include sneezing, running nose and coughing.

• Bronchial Asthma:- This is an allergic reaction which is induced by hypersensitivity to allergens like dust, smoke, pollen and so on or to certain food particles. In this case due to mucus accumulation in the air passage there will be difficulty in breathing.

PREVENTION:

• Use your air conditioner.
• Decontaminate your decor..
• Maintain optimal humidity.
• Prevent mold spores.
• Reduce pet dander.
• Clean  your home regularly.
• Cover your nose and mouth if it's cold out.
• Get regular exercise.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Eat fruits and vegetables.
• Control heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).