Biomaterial Database

Anemia, differentiating between thalassemia minor and iron deficiency. 1956

R O WALLERSTEIN, and P M AGGELER

Many of the conditions noted in examination of the blood of patients with thalassemia minor are much like those observed in patients with iron deficiency anemia. A study was made of similarities and contrasts between blood and bone marrow features in both conditions for purposes of differential diagnosis. A salient distinction is that bone marrow hemosiderin is present in normal amount in patients with thalassemia minor, but not in those with iron deficiency anemia. If therapy with iron does not restore hemoglobin values to normal, thalassemia minor is strongly suspect. Even in the latter disease, however, there may be small fluctuations in hemoglobin values, particularly in pregnancy. One must be alert to this possibility lest a slight, fleeting increase in hemoglobin be mistakenly ascribed to iron therapy.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007501	Iron	A metallic element with atomic symbol Fe, atomic number 26, and atomic weight 55.85. It is an essential constituent of HEMOGLOBINS; CYTOCHROMES; and IRON-BINDING PROTEINS. It plays a role in cellular redox reactions and in the transport of OXYGEN.	Iron-56,Iron 56
D003937	Diagnosis, Differential	Determination of which one of two or more diseases or conditions a patient is suffering from by systematically comparing and contrasting results of diagnostic measures.	Diagnoses, Differential,Differential Diagnoses,Differential Diagnosis
D006454	Hemoglobins	The oxygen-carrying proteins of ERYTHROCYTES. They are found in all vertebrates and some invertebrates. The number of globin subunits in the hemoglobin quaternary structure differs between species. Structures range from monomeric to a variety of multimeric arrangements.	Eryhem,Ferrous Hemoglobin,Hemoglobin,Hemoglobin, Ferrous
D006485	Hemosiderin
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000740	Anemia	A reduction in the number of circulating ERYTHROCYTES or in the quantity of HEMOGLOBIN.	Anemias
D000747	Anemia, Hypochromic	Anemia characterized by a decrease in the ratio of the weight of hemoglobin to the volume of the erythrocyte, i.e., the mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration is less than normal. The individual cells contain less hemoglobin than they could have under optimal conditions. Hypochromic anemia may be caused by iron deficiency from a low iron intake, diminished iron absorption, or excessive iron loss. It can also be caused by infections or other diseases, therapeutic drugs, lead poisoning, and other conditions. (Stedman, 25th ed; from Miale, Laboratory Medicine: Hematology, 6th ed, p393)	Chlorosis,Anemias, Hypochromic,Chloroses,Hypochromic Anemia,Hypochromic Anemias
D017086	beta-Thalassemia	A disorder characterized by reduced synthesis of the beta chains of hemoglobin. There is retardation of hemoglobin A synthesis in the heterozygous form (thalassemia minor), which is asymptomatic, while in the homozygous form (thalassemia major, Cooley's anemia, Mediterranean anemia, erythroblastic anemia), which can result in severe complications and even death, hemoglobin A synthesis is absent.	Anemia, Cooley's,Anemia, Erythroblastic,Anemia, Mediterranean,Hemoglobin F Disease,Thalassemia Major,Thalassemia Minor,Erythroblastic Anemia,Mediterranean Anemia,Microcytemia, beta Type,Thalassemia Intermedia,Thalassemia Major (beta-Thalassemia Major),Thalassemia Minor (beta-Thalassemia Minor),Thalassemia, beta Type,beta Thalassemia,Anemia, Cooley,Anemia, Cooleys,Anemias, Erythroblastic,Anemias, Mediterranean,Cooley's Anemia,Disease, Hemoglobin F,Intermedia, Thalassemia,Intermedias, Thalassemia,Major, Thalassemia (beta-Thalassemia Major),Majors, Thalassemia (beta-Thalassemia Major),Mediterranean Anemias,Microcytemias, beta Type,Minor, Thalassemia (beta-Thalassemia Minor),Minors, Thalassemia (beta-Thalassemia Minor),Thalassemia Intermedias,Thalassemia Major (beta Thalassemia Major),Thalassemia Majors (beta-Thalassemia Major),Thalassemia Minor (beta Thalassemia Minor),Thalassemia Minors (beta-Thalassemia Minor),Thalassemia, beta,Thalassemias, beta,Thalassemias, beta Type,Type Microcytemia, beta,Type Microcytemias, beta,Type Thalassemia, beta,Type Thalassemias, beta,beta Thalassemias,beta Type Microcytemia,beta Type Microcytemias,beta Type Thalassemia,beta Type Thalassemias
D018798	Anemia, Iron-Deficiency	Anemia characterized by decreased or absent iron stores, low serum iron concentration, low transferrin saturation, and low hemoglobin concentration or hematocrit value. The erythrocytes are hypochromic and microcytic and the iron binding capacity is increased.	Iron-Deficiency Anemia,Anemias, Iron-Deficiency,Iron-Deficiency Anemias,Anemia, Iron Deficiency,Anemias, Iron Deficiency,Iron Deficiency Anemia,Iron Deficiency Anemias