Do NOT confuse Alpha Thalessemia with Beta Thelassemia. Even tho Thalassemia minor is MOST similar to Alpha trait, the number of alleles affected is different in each condition.

If you have too little Alpha to make your rbc, you'll pack it with lots of Beta - which is abnormal.

Hg H disease bc in electrophoresis that's the most H, not A as in normal Hgb electrophoresis.

Usu. looking at lab with normal rbc but microcytic, can kinda make  out that it's Thalessemia, electrophoresis serves little if any purpose other than genetic counseling later on. 

Most commonly seen in adult clinicals: Trait Alpha thalassemia
Hg H & Alpha Thalassemia Major: usu. already dx in peds or neonatology or Maternal Fetal Medicine

Trait: more problems if too heavy menstruation.

Alpha Major: usu. very bad, already

History: yeah I was told I had some type of anemia but I've never had any symptoms.

Lab: usu. normal RBC, low Hgb, Low MCV (microcytic anemia) however rbc is normal bc the body is able to make enuf rbc with the Hgb & iron on hands. Whereas iron deficiency anemia, the body is unable to make enuf rbc due to not even having enuf iron to even make it.



~by Qt

Thalessemia is a defective globin (as in heme-o-globin) disorder.
There are 2 types of globins in a rbc: alpha & beta globin.

Thalasemia is a genetic condition where the body either does not make enough hemoglobin or the hemoglobin it makes is not normal. Hemoglobin is a component of red blood cells that helps spread oxygen throughout the body. To make hemoglobin the body needs both alpha-globin and beta-globin.
Alpha thalasemia occurs if there are problems with some or all of the alph-globin genes. Beta thalasemia occurs when there are problems with one or both of the beta-globin genes.
Here is a link to an article about thalassemia with lots of info.
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/thalassemia-topic-overview



Read more @ http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/hematology-and-oncology/anemias-caused-by-hemolysis/thalassemias