🩺 General MedicineHaematologyStudentInternResident

Thalassaemia

Also known as: thalassemia · thalassaemia major · thalassaemia minor · Cooley's anaemia

Inherited disorders of globin-chain synthesis causing microcytic haemolytic anaemia. Severity ranges from a silent carrier/trait (thalassaemia minor) to transfusion-dependent thalassaemia major; a major public-health issue in India and the Mediterranean.

Source · Reviewed 2026-08-15 · v1.0— AI-assisted draft — verify against the cited guideline before clinical use.

⚕️ Education only — not medical advice. Verify against the latest official guideline and your local protocol; confirm every drug dose against the cited source before clinical use.

Who gets it

Inherited (autosomal recessive); common in Mediterranean, Middle-Eastern, and South/Southeast-Asian populations; carrier screening and prevention are key.

Red flags — escalate / refer

Severe anaemia/failure to thrive in an infant (thalassaemia major), or iron-overload complications (cardiac, endocrine, hepatic) in a transfused patient → specialist care.

Work-up / diagnosis

1Microcytic anaemia with normal/raised (not low) iron studies and a disproportionately low MCV; confirm with haemoglobin electrophoresis/HPLC and genetic testing.
2Distinguish trait from iron deficiency (do NOT just give iron); offer antenatal/carrier screening.

Management — overview

Trait — no treatment beyond genetic counselling (avoid unnecessary iron).
Thalassaemia major — regular blood transfusions PLUS iron chelation to prevent fatal iron overload, folic acid, and monitoring/treatment of complications; splenectomy in selected cases.
Haematopoietic stem-cell transplant can be curative in selected children; prevention is via carrier screening and prenatal diagnosis.

In-depthFull dosing & advanced protocol

Drug dosing

Regular transfusions + iron chelation

Transfusion-dependent thalassaemia

Adult dose: Per protocol; add folic acid
Route: IV / oral (chelation)

Caution: Do NOT give routine iron in trait; transfusion needs chelation to prevent iron-overload death.

ICMRStandard Treatment Workflows (STWs), India — Dept. of Health Research & ICMR (2022+) ↗

Don't mistake trait for iron deficiency

Thalassaemia trait mimics iron deficiency but iron studies are normal — don't give iron.
Transfusion without chelation causes fatal iron overload.
Screening and prenatal diagnosis are the main prevention; transplant can cure selected children.

ICMRStandard Treatment Workflows (STWs), India — Dept. of Health Research & ICMR (2022+) ↗

References

Guidelines change. If something here is out of date, tell us — we keep these current.

🚩 Report outdated / suggest update

More protocols

HypertensionPersistently raised arterial pressure (≥140/90 mmHg) — a leading, modifiable cause of stroke, heart attack, heart failure and kidney disease.DengueAn Aedes-borne viral febrile illness. Most cases self-limit, but plasma leakage can cause severe dengue — early recognition of warning signs and careful fluid therapy save lives.MalariaA mosquito-borne protozoal (Plasmodium) febrile illness. In India P. vivax and P. falciparum predominate; prompt diagnosis and species-specific treatment prevent severe disease.

Loading…

👤 Who gets it

🚩 Red flags — escalate / refer

🔎 Work-up / diagnosis

🧭 Management — overview

💊 Drug dosing

Regular transfusions + iron chelation

📈 Don't mistake trait for iron deficiency

📚 References

More protocols

👤 Who gets it

🚩 Red flags — escalate / refer

🔎 Work-up / diagnosis

🧭 Management — overview

💊 Drug dosing

Regular transfusions + iron chelation

📈 Don't mistake trait for iron deficiency

📚 References

More protocols

Who gets it

Red flags — escalate / refer

Work-up / diagnosis

Management — overview

Drug dosing

Don't mistake trait for iron deficiency

References

Who gets it

Red flags — escalate / refer

Work-up / diagnosis

Management — overview

Drug dosing

Don't mistake trait for iron deficiency

References