Hemoglobin is the iron-containing part of your red blood cells that allows them to carry oxygen throughout your body. The Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines use mRNA technology. People with thalassemia tend to experience similar complications from COVID-19 as those without thalassemia. Some of these release special . A Practical Approach to the Management of Cancer Patients During the Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic: An International Collaborative Group. Your red blood cells are likely to be smaller than is typical. EHA and TIF on How COVID-19 Affects Thalassemia and SCD Patients At the current time, this is primarily an academic theory. Doctors sometimes incorrectly prescribe iron supplements for people with thalassemia trait if they mistake their symptoms for iron deficiency. However, severe allergic reactions from vaccines are extremely rare. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to blood bank shortages, which have created challenges for people with transfusion-dependent thalassemia. The study found that patients with blood types A and AB were found to be more likely to require mechanical ventilation and to require dialysis for kidney failure. Home isolation in transfusion-dependent thalassemia patients with SARS CoV2 infection: Experience from a developing country. It's been found that, in general, people who have COVID-19 often have significantly reduced hemoglobin levels, especially with severe disease. Regular screenings are often recommended. Beta-thalassemia is widespread in the world but is a rare disease in France with an estimated prevalence of 12 per 1,000,000 for severe forms. Methods: Thalassaemia International Federation . What are the symptoms of beta thalassemia? Although epidemiologic evidence concerning the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) infection in these patients is currently lacking, the COVID-19 pandemic represents a significant challenge for haemoglobinopathy patients, their families and their attending physicians. Nutrition. Your body produces a variety of different cells that fight invading germs. But again, experts say it's too early to know for sure. Recessive means that you need two copies of the faulty gene to have the disease. Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. Could some people with thalassemia have a natural immunity against SARS-CoV-2? Some research suggests that people with beta thalassemia may be at an elevated risk of developing severe illness or death from COVID-19, but research is still mixed. Med Sci Monit Basic Res. Treatment is with corticosteroids. The prevalence among those who were transfusion dependent was roughly the same as people without thalassemia. By. Int J Mol Sci. The .gov means its official. Med (Lausanne). Daidone R, Carollo A, Perricone MP, Messina R, Balistreri CR. 2020; 10.1002/ajh.25840 [Epub ahead of print]. On the other, people with thalassemia may be at risk of adrenal insufficiency (adrenal crisis), which can worsen a person's condition with severe COVID-19. -. (Source: File Photo) For almost a week now, Delhi resident Komal Mehta has been making frantic calls for O-negative blood for her 16-year-old son, a thalassemia major, who requires a blood transfusion every 21 days.While his blood transfusion of two units was to take place on March 13, Mehta has not been able to . In that event, it's advisable that the therapy be stopped until the infection has cleared. In a 2022 study, researchers found lower rates of vaccine-related side effects among 186 people with thalassemia major than in vaccine clinical trials. 2020;60(12):3046-3054.doi:10.1111/trf.16056, d'argon A, Putri MG, Savitri Y, Alfaidin AMR. ; 3 Hemoglobinopathies and Congenital Anemia Center, Ospedale Galliera, Genoa, Italy. Let's look at why and how to get support to stop drinking: While not as serious as other causes of chest pain, anemia-related chest pain can be a sign that your current treatment plan isn't working. Lack of hemoglobin can lead to insufficient oxygen in your bodily tissues. A comprehensive review of hydroxyurea for -haemoglobinopathies: the role revisited during COVID-19 pandemic. Treatment may include regular blood transfusions. These antigens help prompt a response from your body's immune system. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our. (2022). Marion Cook. Dr. DelCollo is board-certified in family medicine by the American Board of Family Medicine. Orphanet J Rare Dis. (2022). For the latest on COVID-19, visit our coronavirus news page. Farmakis D, Giakoumis A, Angastiniotis M, Eleftheriou A. Hemoglobin allows your red blood cells to carry oxygen to other cells throughout your body. Although epidemiologic evidence concerning the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) infection in these patients is currently lacking, the COVID-19 pandemic represents a significant challenge for . These findings may be due to statistical randomness because of the small sample size. Special consideration is needed for both people who have had their spleens removed and for those who have had bone marrow/stem cell transplants to treat their thalassemia. That means your genetic sex (based on which sex chromosomes you have) doesnt influence whether you inherit the condition. COVID vaccine & autoimmune disease FAQ. Genetic testing is the only way to confirm whether you carry the gene. Lets look at why and what you can do about it. Biochemistry, hemoglobin synthesis. Farid Y, et al. What to Know About Thalassemia and COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists risk factors that have been identified for developing severe COVID-19, and blood type does not appear. You can still pass on the affected gene, but you wont experience any symptoms. COVID-19 pandemic and care of transfusion-dependent patients of thalassaemia: Experience from a paediatric centre in North India. Thalassemia: Complications and Treatment | CDC Only one gene is damaged. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), COVID-19 vaccination for people with beta-thalassemia or beta-thalassemia trait, rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/alpha-thalassemia/, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8703506/, rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/thalassemia-major/, onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ijlh.12527, hematology.org/covid-19/covid-19-and-thalassemia, thalassemia.org/i-have-a-thalassemia-trait/, journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0969141314548203, stemcellres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13287-022-02768-5, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7326097/, gimjournal.org/article/S1098-3600(21)02253-X/fulltext, cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html, nhlbi.nih.gov/health/thalassemia/pregnancy, link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00404-022-06519-y, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8955557/, thalassemia.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/WhatIsThalTrait_sm.pdf, Everything You Need to Know About Thalassemia. Newborn screening tests in the United States dont specifically check for thalassemia trait. chenevex, France. Can You Get a COVID Vaccine If You Have Beta Thalassemia? - Healthline Eating nutritious foods is important for everyone to maintain a healthy lifestyle - a diet, high in fruits and vegetables and low in fats is ideal for gaining the essential nutrients our bodies need. Adrenal insufficiency (a lack of sufficient hormone production by the adrenal glands) can occur with thalassemia. The use of corticosteroid medications (such as prednisone) can have both positive and negative effects and must be carefully weighed in people with thalassemia. 2020 Oct;13(10):1081-1092. doi: 10.1080/17474086.2020.1819785. States with religious and philosophical exemptions from school immunization requirements. You likely wont have symptoms or may have mild symptoms. Immunity is your body's ability to protect you from getting sick when you are exposed to an infectious agent ("germ") such as a bacterium, virus, parasite or fungus. Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder that causes you not to make enough hemoglobin, a protein in your blood. 2023 Jan 1;15(1):e2023007. This means red blood cells aren't made properly or they are destroyed. If the synthesis from both genes is severely reduced or absent, the person has . But if you only have the trait, you may have a slightly increased risk of high blood pressure or anemia during pregnancy, according to 2022 research. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Vaccine safety and effectiveness for people with beta thalassemia. Epidemiological Surveillance of SARSCov2 in -Thalassemia Patients in the Last Two Years: Reinfection Rate, Insights and Future Challenges. The Link Between Blood Type and COVID-19 Risk - Health Thats because two genes, HBA1 and HBA2, are responsible for making hemoglobin alpha. Orphanet J Rare Dis. They also shouldnt get it if they have a known allergy to a component of the vaccine. Thalassemia also increases the likelihood to form blood clots. Can SARS-CoV-2 be transmitted via blood transfusions? Vitamin and mineral supplementation for -thalassemia during COVID-19 pandemic. A comprehensive update of ICET-A Network on COVID-19 in thalassemias: what we know and where we stand. 1,5% global population . Beta-thalassemia occurs when your body has trouble producing hemoglobin beta. Co-inheritance of -thalassaemia and -thalassaemia in a prenatal screening population in mainland China. If you're pregnant and heterozygous for beta-thalassemia, you may not need treatment, but there are still some things to consider for a healthy. 2023 Mar 2;24(5):4809. doi: 10.3390/ijms24054809. Would you like email updates of new search results? Two recently published studies have found that people who recover from COVID-19 develop antibodies that may last almost a year. eCollection 2022 Aug. See this image and copyright information in PMC. Beta-thalassemia results of a default in the hemoglobin beta- chain synthesis. For many people with alopecia areata, dietary changes and adding certain supplements can help manage and treat the condition. Beta Thalassemia Trait (Minor) - Nicklaus Children's Hospital 2023 Healthline Media LLC. Blood tests can also be used for . The results align with the results of other studies from countries around the world. It was through these findings, that the Danish researchers suggested: "That blood group O is significantly associated with reduced susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection.". We avoid using tertiary references. "People with type O blood may be more susceptible to norovirus," said infectious disease expert Amesh A. Adalja, MD, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. There have been multiple studies on blood types and COVID-19 risk. 2020 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Newborn screening practices and alpha-thalassemia detection United States, 2016. These diseases usually occur only in people who have at least two abnormal . Quite a bit of research has been published about blood type and COVID-19 risk. Thalassemia is a genetic blood disorder caused by an inherited mutation in your HBB gene. COVID Natural Immunity: What You Need to Know A temporary drop in hemoglobin levels was noted 3 months after vaccination. What Are the Symptoms of Antiphospholipid Syndrome? Guidelines for the Management of NonTransfusion Dependent Thalassaemias, 2nd ed. doi: 10.1002/ccr3.6114. However, certain issues, such as pneumonia and respiratory failure, blood clots, and heart-related complications, should be monitored for. Nicosia, Cyprus: Thalassaemia International Federation; 2014. "All may acquire COVID-19 and all should take the recommended precautions to reduce the risk.". The PubMed wordmark and PubMed logo are registered trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). (2022). "As an individual, you have your blood typethere's nothing you can do about it.". Thalassemia is a blood disorder in which the body makes an abnormal form of hemoglobin. Possible symptoms include: Doctors sometimes mistake symptoms of thalassemia trait for iron deficiency. What We Know. A few options include: Current recommendations are that for people who have been treated with Reblozyl, the medication should be continued even if a person develops COVID-19 (there is no evidence that it should be stopped). In a preprint review of studies from late July 2022, researchers examined how beta thalassemia minor affects outcomes of COVID-19. 1 Platt L, Warwick R. Are some ethnic groups In a 2021 pilot study, researchers found a strong association between the presence of beta thalassemia minor and COVID-19 mortality. Respiratory failure may occur just as with people who do not have thalassemia. A recent pre-print study has showed a heme attack on the 1-beta chain of hemoglobin by COVID19. Most people with beta thalassemia major have symptoms within the first 2 years of life. In a 2022 study, researchers found that people with beta thalassemia minor had a higher chance of dying from COVID-19 than people in the general population. Brancaleoni V, et al. Those two factors make up the eight most common blood types: A+, A-, B+, B-, O+, O-, AB+, and AB-. Here are some frequently asked questions people have about beta thalassemia and COVID-19 vaccines. Current recommendations are that a person's usual regimen of transfusions should be continued during the pandemic. may help support the immune system's ability to fight infections. official website and that any information you provide is encrypted Vaccines can help people with beta thalassemia lower their chances of getting COVID-19 or having severe illness if they do get COVID-19. When there isn't enough hemoglobin, the body's red blood cells don't function properly and they last shorter periods of time, so there are fewer healthy red blood cells traveling . This condition is called anemia. COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; coronavirus; haemoglobinopathies; pandemic; thalassaemia. However, more epidemiological studies are required in the aim to obtain a strong signal. Common COVID-19 treatments, including prone positioning (turning a patient on their stomach), non-invasive ventilation (oxygen delivered via a face mask), and intubation and mechanical ventilation (where a tube is inserted down the throat and a machine pumps air in and out of the lungs), may be needed depending on the severity. 2020;7:306.doi:10.3389/fmed.2020.00306, Mungmunpuntipantip R, Wiwanitkit V. Hemoglobinopathy and COVID-19, Hematol Transfus Cell Ther. If you have minor or no symptoms, your provider may suspect thalassemia based on the results of a routine blood test. This blood disorder causes your body not to produce enough hemoglobin. (2021). A 2022 study found that people with beta-thalassemia trait were also at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19. Certain medications have been approved to reduce the frequency of transfusions needed. -Thalassemia is the most prevalent single gene blood disorder, while the assessment of its susceptibility to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) warrants it a pressing biomedical priority. Jason DelCollo, DO, is a board-certified medicine physician and associate faculty member at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. (2022). There are a number of reasons why people with thalassemia might be at risk for more severe outcomes with COVID-19. However, the results have been inconsistent and so the connection between COVID-19 and different blood types still isn't clear. Orphanet J Rare Dis. Acta Biomed. Yes, you can have the trait for both alpha- and beta-thalassemia. 2020;57(5):478.doi:10.1007/s13312-020-1831-9, By Lynne Eldridge, MD Clin Lab Med. Facial Presentation in People with Beta-Thalassemia Major, The Hidden Signs You May Have a Red Meat Allergy From a Tick Bite, Alpha Thalassemia: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments, and More, Alopecia Areata and Diet: Foods to Eat and Avoid. But such tests are often costly. As published in the New England Journal of Medicine, several months after this non-heritable treatment, all patients no longer needed frequent . Experts say that, There are many different types of anemia. How Might Swollen Glands Be a Sign of COVID-19? If you have thalassemia trait, it means you carry a genetic mutation that causes thalassemia, but you dont have the disease yourself. Thalassemia is a hereditary disorder that affects the production of hemoglobin. Alpha and Beta Thalassemia | AAFP A Southeast Asian perspective on the COVID-19 pandemic: hemoglobin E (HbE)-trait confers resistance against COVID-19. Materials & Methods: Searches of PUBMED and EMBASE were conducted to identify the level and . Most hemoglobin is made up of alpha and beta chains. While it's always helpful to know your blood type, most people won't necessarily need to know that information. A second dose of Pfizer or Moderna at least 4 weeks after 1st dose, less susceptibility to developing COVID-19, fewer intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, higher susceptibility to dying from COVID-19, surgery to remove your spleen or gallbladder. Our website services, content, and products are for informational purposes only. Whats the outlook for people who have beta thalassemia? SARS-CoV-2 infection in beta thalassemia: Preliminary data from the Italian experience. People having hematological disorders and hypercoagulability state need extra precautions because of the increased risk of thrombosis after COVID-19 vaccination. On one side of the equation, glucocorticoids can slow the clearance of the virus from the respiratory tract. Among people aged 36 or older, an average of 60% of thalassemia patients had at least one coexisting condition (100% in the non-transfusion dependent group and 41.7% in the transfusion-dependent group). But because reinfection is possible and COVID-19 can cause severe medical complications, it's recommended that people who . Should you get a COVID vaccine if you have beta thalassemia? Clinical guidance on COVID-19 vaccines for people with thalassemia. Torti L, Sorrentino F, Maffei L, De Fabritiis P, Abruzzese E. Mediterr J Hematol Infect Dis. Colorized scanning electron micrograph of a cell, isolated from a . While blood transfusions and iron chelation therapy (iron-binding drugs that are sometimes given via infusion) require traveling to a clinic or hospital, there are many healthcare visits that can be handled virtually. This may cause you to experience mild anemia. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Alpha-thalassemia occurs when your body has trouble producing hemoglobin alpha. The CDC recommends mRNA vaccines for people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised. A recent study in the Lombardy region identified the positivity of anti-Covid-19 antibodies in 4.5 . Early in the pandemic, two studies published in the Blood Advances journal in October 2020 showed a possible link between blood type and vulnerability to COVID-19. Thalassemias | Johns Hopkins Medicine Beta thalassemia is the most common blood disorder caused by a mutation in a single gene. (2022). A comprehensive update of ICET-A Network on COVID-19 in thalassemias: what we know and where we stand. The most important thing you can do is make sure you are vaccinated and stay up to date on when boosters are needed. Future Sci OA. In Italy there are about 5000 patients with dependent transfusion thalassemia (source Italian Thalassemia and Hemoglobinopathies - SITE) and a smaller number, currently not definable, of patients with sickle cell anemia in chronic transfusion. -. Thalassemia and Coronavirus (COVID-19): Complications - Verywell Health There are some theories on why there could be a link: Your red blood cells are covered with molecules that are known as antigens, Thomas Russo, MD, professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo, told Health. People with the intermedia or major forms of the disease have HBB mutations from both parents. If you only receive the gene from one parent, you carry the trait for thalassemia. doi:10.23750/abm.v91i3.10063, Taher AT, Bou-Fakhredin R, Kreidieh F, et al. At this time, scientists are just beginning to learn how a diagnosis of thalassemia may affect the risk of COVID-19, potential complications, and how the pandemic may affect treatment, but preliminary research has revealed some trends.