The most common treatment for all major, or homozygous, forms of Beta Thalassemia is red blood cell transfusions. These transfusions are necessary to provide the patient with a temporary supply of healthy red blood cells with normal hemoglobin capable of carrying the oxygen throughout the body. While thalassemia patients were given infrequent transfusions in the past, more advanced research has led to more frequent blood cell transfusions that has greatly improved the patients' quality of life. Today, most patients with a major form of thalassemia receive red blood cell transfusions every two to three weeks. One of the problems with this treatment is a condition known as "iron overload". Because there is no natural way for the body to eliminate iron, the iron in the transfused blood cells builds up in a condition known as "iron overload" and becomes toxic to tissues and organs, especially in the liver and heart. Iron overload typically results in early death from organ failure. A treatment known as Chelation Therapy is now used to help remove excess iron. In this treatment, patients undergo the painful infusion of the drug 'Desferal'. A needle is attached to a small battery-operated infusion pump and worn under the skin of the stomach or legs five to seven times a week for up to twelve hours. Desferal binds iron in a process called "chelation." Chelated iron is later eliminated, reducing the amount of stored iron. The obvious problems with this treatment are cronic pain and the great amount of time required.
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