Discriminating between Thalasssemia from patients with iron deficiciency with red blood cell measurements.

Alpha- and beta-thalassemias are hemoglobinopathies in which a defect in alpha or beta globin chain production causes ineffective erythropoiesis and hemolysis, resulting in a microcytic anemia. Iron deficiency causes no hemolysis but results in microcytic anemia as well. Iron overload causes oxidative damage to red blood cells(RBCs). Many patients with hemoglobinopathies have either iron overload or iron deficiency. Their deformability will thus be influenced by their hemoglobinopathy and/or iron status. To delineate these interactions we will investigate changes in deformability of different hemoglobinopathies and iron status by using the Laser optical rotational cell analyser (Lorca), a next generation ektacytometer.

With the Lorrca which measures red blood cell deformability patients with thalassemia show a different profile than patients with iron deficiency.

1

Not applicable