All rights reserved. Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. 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. COVID Increases Risk of Long-Term Brain Injury, Study Shows, COVID Tongue: How a Swollen Tongue Could Indicate COVID-19, Even Mild COVID-19 Infections Increase Risk of Type 2 Diabetes, Research Shows, CDC Adds Mental Health Conditions to High-risk of Severe Illness From COVID List, COVID-19 Pneumoniathe Lung Infection Caused by Getting COVID-19, Does Sunlight Kill COVID-19 and Does Vitamin D Prevent It? Before Epub 2020 Apr 27. (2022). If you have one unaffected gene, it mostly overrides the faulty gene. Susceptibility of -Thalassemia heterozygotes to COVID-19. (2022). Its most common in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean. Doctors and researchers have looked at the evidence. Theres no cure for Nijmegen breakage syndrome, but its complications can be treated. Blood type has been identified as a risk factor in many diseases, from cancer to venous and arterial thromboembolism. People with thalassaemia produce either no or too little haemoglobin, which is used by red blood cells to carry oxygen around the body. If you have a family history of thalassemia, you may want to know whether you carry the trait. Certain medications have been approved to reduce the frequency of transfusions needed. A person with beta thalassemia minor . Pregnancy outcomes among women affected with thalassemia traits. Thalassaemia International Federation . Thalassemia trait means you carry the gene that causes the disease, but you dont have the disease yourself. -. States with religious and philosophical exemptions from school immunization requirements. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our. What Research Says About the Link Between COVID-19 and Blood Type, What the Blood Link Research Means for You, Omicron vs. Delta: How the 2 COVID-19 Variants Compare, ShinglesHerpes ZosterInfection May Be Linked to the COVID-19 Vaccine, Can COVID-19 Cause Diabetes? Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. Delaporta P, et al. Am J Hematol. Beta-Thalassemia Minor and SARS-CoV-2: Physiopathology, Prevalence, Severity, Morbidity, and Mortality. 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. People with the most severe form of the disease may require regular blood transfusions. Blood banking and transfusion medicine challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nutrition. Needs T, et al. Lynne Eldrige, MD, is a lung cancer physician, patient advocate, and award-winning author of "Avoiding Cancer One Day at a Time.". There are a number of factors that might increase the chances of a person with thalassemia being exposed to SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19. Jason DelCollo, DO, is a board-certified medicine physician and associate faculty member at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Looking at a small sample group early on in the pandemic, the overall mortality rate of those with thalassemia from a COVID-19 infection was 18.6%, compared with a mortality rate of 4.71% in the general population. People with thalassemia minor or trait usually do not need blood transfusions because they either do not have anemia or have only a mild anemia. Indian Pediatr. Thalassemias. The information in this story is accurate as of press time. This site needs JavaScript to work properly. (2020). The prevalence among those who were transfusion dependent was roughly the same as people without thalassemia. Unauthorized use of these marks is strictly prohibited. Experts say that, There are many different types of anemia. 2020;57(5):478.doi:10.1007/s13312-020-1831-9, By Lynne Eldridge, MD fatalities for sickle cell anaemia carriers and for -thalassaemia carriers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people with thalassemia may be at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19. "As an individual, you have your blood typethere's nothing you can do about it.". In a very small French study, researchers found that people with thalassemia under the age of 60 had higher rates of severe disease and hospitalization than the general population. 8600 Rockville Pike In a webinar designed to guide physicians in the care of hematology patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, three world experts on thalassemia and sickle cell disease (SCD) provided on-the-ground information from physicians who were . Therefore, it is unknown if COVID-19 vaccines are as efficacious for patients with thalassemia as they were found to be for the clinical trial participants . Patients with beta-thalassaemia increase the risk of bacterial infections, particularly Burkholderia pseudomallei (Bp), the causative agent of melioidosis in Thailand. Li L, et al. Li J, et al. It's also helpful to know your blood typespecifically the Rh factorduring pregnancy, so your doctor can troubleshoot if the unborn baby has a different Rh factor. Regardless of if a specific blood type is associated with a greater risk of contracting COVID-19 and developing severe disease, keep in mind that many other factors, such as age or existing health conditions, are likely to play a larger, dominant role in determining personal risk from COVID-19. But blood tests can only lead doctors to presume that you have the trait. The Johnson & Johnsons Janssen can rarely cause arterial thrombosis, a blood clot in an artery, in people with thrombocytopenia 4 to 30 days after vaccination. They agree that unless you have a very serious allergy to any of the vaccine ingredients, you should strongly consider getting the COVID-19 vaccine because some people with thalassemia have a higher chance of experiencing severe symptoms from COVID-19. Immunity is a complex process that involves a lot of moving parts. S124: Adverse events following COVID-19 vaccination in transfusion-dependent thalassemia patients. Dr. DelCollo is board-certified in family medicine by the American Board of Family Medicine. ; 2 Department of Internal Medicine, UOC Medicina Generale, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy. Experts Explain. EHA and TIF explore how COVID-19 is affecting thalassemia and SCD patients. Splenectomy: When a person has a spleen removed for thalassemia, they are more likely to develop a secondary bacterial infection . According to research from 2020 and 2021, 93% of U.S. newborn screening programs provide some info on alpha-thalassemia and 85% provide info on beta-thalassemia. There is some limited evidence that certain types of thalassemia may offer some protection against SARS-CoV-2. A comprehensive review of studies published in Seminars in Vascular Surgery in September 2021 examined peer-reviewed journal articles published from March 2020 to January 2021. Lack of hemoglobin can lead to insufficient oxygen in your bodily tissues. 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. Iron overload: Frequent transfusions due to thalassemia can cause a build up of iron in the blood, which can, in turn, lead to heart disease, liver disease, diabetes, adrenal insufficiency, and other issues.These conditions are linked to poorer COVID-19 outcomes. In Beta thalassemia two genes are involved. Med (Lausanne). 2022 Oct;58(10):1760-1765. doi: 10.1111/jpc.16082. 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. Blood types can also serve as receptors for viruses and bacteria, and that could be another factor, explained Dr. Russo, there may be some other, completely different component of type O blood that works to prevent infection. 2020;60(12):3046-3054.doi:10.1111/trf.16056, d'argon A, Putri MG, Savitri Y, Alfaidin AMR. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine can help people with beta thalassemia prevent severe disease and death. Materials & Methods: Searches of PUBMED and EMBASE were conducted to identify the level and . The dosages and timing, however, should be carefully discussed with your healthcare before starting any supplement. "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. doi:10.23750/abm.v91i3.10063, Taher AT, Bou-Fakhredin R, Kreidieh F, et al. Orphanet J Rare Dis. There are two types of thalassemia, alpha and beta. COVID-19 vaccine is high priority for cardiac patients. While there are no specific guidelines at this time, some researchers believe that hemoglobin levels should be monitored closely in people with thalassemia if they develop COVID-19, even when symptoms are only mild. These drugs can reduce inflammation in blood vessels (endothelial inflammation) during viral infections. (Note: The overall mortality rate for COVID-19 is currently less than 1%.). If you become infected, it's important to talk to a doctor knowledgeable about thalassemia regarding any special precautions you should take or changes to your medical plan. These medications bind to iron so that it can be expelled from the body. But they do test for sickle cell anemia, which can also detect thalassemia. Does Anemia Cause Weight Loss or Weight Gain? Disclaimer. In this study, the most common side effects in people with thalassemia were: Researchers are still examining how COVID-19 affects people with beta thalassemia. They result in low hemoglobin production and destruction of red blood cells. Most cases are caused by a mutation in the HBB gene. With thalassemia trait, your red blood cells are smaller than those in people who dont have the trait. Blood. 2020 John Wiley & Sons A/S. See additional information. In a preprint review of studies from late July 2022, researchers examined how beta thalassemia minor affects outcomes of COVID-19. If you're living with thalassemia, you may be at greater risk for serious outcomes of COVID-19. The researchers recommend that people with thalassemia major should be followed closely by a doctor. To begin, think of something you've had time to do that you'd otherwise not have time for, or something you learned. Severe thalassemia used to be fatal by early adulthood, but now people frequently live into their 60s or beyond. Thalassemia Benefits. Thalassemias. Heavy alcohol drinking is known to further aggravate anemia. Research suggests that people with thalassemia may be at a slightly increased risk of contracting COVID-19, especially those who are transfusion dependent which puts them at an increased risk of exposure to the virus. (2023). For example, some of the common complications and coexisting conditions caused by thalassemia may also worsen COVID-19. People with this condition will need frequent blood transfusions. COVID-19 pandemic and care of transfusion-dependent patients of thalassaemia: Experience from a paediatric centre in North India. (2022). (2022). Several genes contribute to the production of hemoglobin. These antigens help prompt a response from your body's immune system. It's currently recommended that people with thalassemia who have severe COVID-19 be given blood thinners, though this could change as more is learned. With more research, we may one day have a clearer understanding of the connection between COVID-19 and different blood types. Thalassemia is classified as alpha or beta depending on the part of hemoglobin your body isnt producing in adequate amounts. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. However, some limited evidence suggests that certain types of thalassemia may have some protective effect against COVID-19. APS is an autoimmune disorder that makes your blood clot easily. There has also been a shortage at other steps in the process, such as personnel available to perform collections, as well as process and deliver donated blood. 2023 Healthline Media LLC. 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. "We all recognize that we're not the same, but we have not been able, on a genetic basis, very often, to determine whether certain people with certain genes are more or less susceptible to get an infection if they're exposed to a germ," said William Schaffner, MD, an infectious disease specialist, and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Please enable it to take advantage of the complete set of features! Everybody except for 1 of the 16 people in the study required regular blood transfusions. 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. official website and that any information you provide is encrypted Vaccination is particularly important for people with cardiovascular disease because theyre more likely to develop severe complications from COVID-19 infection. A Practical Approach to the Management of Cancer Patients During the Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic: An International Collaborative Group. A 2014 Chinese study found that 17.8% of people with beta-thalassemia trait also had genetic mutations that affected the alpha gene. Bender MA, et al. This can make them very anaemic (tired, short of breath and pale). Impaired immune cell . 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. Thats because two genes, HBA1 and HBA2, are responsible for making hemoglobin alpha. Harewood J, et al. Those two factors make up the eight most common blood types: A+, A-, B+, B-, O+, O-, AB+, and AB-. Laboratory diagnosis of thalassemia. Without enough hemoglobin, your red blood cells die more quickly, and your organs and tissues dont get enough oxygen. It causes your body to produce a lower-than-normal amount of hemoglobin, the part of your red blood cells that carries oxygen. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our. Read on to learn more about why its important for people with beta thalassemia to get vaccinated and why beta thalassemia may increase the risk of severe COVID-19 illness. A simple blood test could let a doctor know if you have alpha- or beta-thalassemia minor. Beta thalassemia major (Cooley's anemia). rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/thalassemia-major/, bccdc.ca/Health-Info-Site/Documents/COVID-19_vaccine/Thalassemia_Clinical_Guidance.pdf, heart.org/en/beyond-the-table/stories/covid-19-vaccine-is-high-priority-for-cardiac-patients, autoimmuneinstitute.org/vaccine-autoimmune-disease-faq/, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8811850/, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7321655/, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8247188/, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9016533/, medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.25.22278009v1.full, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8397014/, ncsl.org/research/health/school-immunization-exemption-state-laws.aspx, cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/downloads/summary-interim-clinical-considerations.pdf, cdc.gov/ncbddd/thalassemia/treatment.html, cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/clinical-considerations/interim-considerations-us.html, Everything You Need to Know About Thalassemia, Will COVID-19 Vaccines Give Lifelong Immunity to the Disease? "All may acquire COVID-19 and all should take the recommended precautions to reduce the risk.". However, more epidemiological studies are required in the aim to obtain a strong signal. In spite of those terrible limits, this systematic-review meta-analysis opens the way to the confirmation of a possible protection/immunity of beta-thalassemia carriers against COVID-19 concerning incidence and ICU admission markers [7,8]. We avoid using tertiary references. Scientists use + to indicate a gene mutation that lowers production and 0 to indicate a mutation that causes the gene to be absent. Med Sci Monit Basic Res. "Long COVID" is a term meaning symptoms that persist after the infection has cleared. Sadly, the reduction in the blood supply has led many people with thalassemia to receive fewer transfusions than usual, prompting healthcare providers caring for people with the condition to look for options that may reduce the need for or frequency of transfusions. Med Hypotheses. Within each of these types, the severity varies, from causing moderate to severe anemia to requiring frequent blood transfusions. This causes less severe anemia. Epub 2020 Sep 15. As published in the New England Journal of Medicine, several months after this non-heritable treatment, all patients no longer needed frequent . They also shouldnt get it if they have a known allergy to a component of the vaccine. doi:10.23750/abm.v91i3.10155, De Sanctis VD, Canatan D, Corrons JLV, et al. Home isolation in transfusion-dependent thalassemia patients with SARS CoV2 infection: Experience from a developing country. The site is secure. "We still do not understand all the factors at play," said Anupama Nehra, MD, an assistant professor at the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and clinical director of hematology-oncology at Rutgers Cancer Institute at University Hospital. The need for frequent blood transfusions and complications of the disease that result in more clinic visits and hospitalizations could raise the odds that someone would come into contact with the virus. However, the results of studies have differed regarding how beta thalassemia affects outcomes. Clipboard, Search History, and several other advanced features are temporarily unavailable. The PubMed wordmark and PubMed logo are registered trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Most people with beta thalassemia major have symptoms within the first 2 years of life. 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). Drouin E, et al. These transplants should proceed. They may not live a normal lifespan. This could be dangerous, as too much iron can cause serious health problems. Colorized scanning electron micrograph of a cell, isolated from a . Genetic correction of concurrent - and -thalassemia patient-derived pluripotent stem cells by the CRISPR-Cas9 technology. For those who have not yet started the medication, delaying the use of the medication should be considered. Respiratory failure may occur just as with people who do not have thalassemia. marion.cook@wanadoo.fr. sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal But because reinfection is possible and COVID-19 can cause severe medical complications, it's recommended that people who . 2020;91(3):e2020026. Thalassemia is a genetic blood disorder caused by an inherited mutation in your HBB gene. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. In thalassemia, the body is unable to make either alpha or beta chains in adequate amounts. Yes, you can have the trait for both alpha- and beta-thalassemia. If the inherited mutation affects only one gene, you are a silent carrier for alpha-thalassemia. They also indicate that haemochromatosis type 1 might confer some protection. For people living with thalassemia, because too much iron may build up in the blood, foods high in iron may need to be limited. Your red blood cells are likely to be smaller than is typical. If the mutation affects three of your genes, you have a more severe case of alpha-thalassemia. 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. Hemoglobin is the component of red blood cells that carries oxygen to the tissues of the body. There are no extra safety precautions necessary for people with beta thalassemia who get vaccinated against COVID-19 when compared with people in the general population. Exemptions may be granted for people with severe allergies to COVID-19 vaccines or any of their components. Some of the publications discussing pregnancy in a patient with COVID19 infection mentioned thalassemia, thalassemia trait, and thalassemia minor in the list of comorbidities in the description of their included patients characteristics. Acta Biomed. Most states offer religious exemptions from school vaccine requirements, and some provide exemptions on philosophical grounds. As thalassemia is considered to be a severe underlying medical condition , both adults and children with thalassemia were excluded from the COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials. But such tests are often costly. An exception is for people who have already begun the conditioning process for a stem-cell transplant. A 2022 study found that people with beta-thalassemia trait were also at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19. (2022). 2020 Sep 25;15(1):265. doi: 10.1186/s13023-020-01543-0. You likely wont have any symptoms. Impact of IFN-1a in treatment of a COVID-19 patient with beta thalassemia and diabetes mellitus: A case report. SARSCoV2 infection in beta thalassemia: preliminary data from the Italian experience. doi:10.1002/ajh.25857, NGO A, Masel D, Cahill C, Blumberg N, Refaiie MA. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. What Are the Differences Between the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 Vaccines? (2022). doi:10.2144/fsoa-2020-0110, Papadopoulos KI, Sutheesophon W, Manipalviratn S, Aw TC. The forgotten people with thalassemia in the time of COVID-19: South Asian perspective. The forgotten people with thalassemia in the time of COVID-19: South Asian perspective. Here are some frequently asked questions people have about beta thalassemia and COVID-19 vaccines. Beta-thalassemia causes symptoms related to anemia, including weak or brittle bones, and leads to problems with how your bones develop. As an example, on March 17, 2020, the Red Cross announced that their blood reserves were reduced by around 80% in the United States due to canceled donations and reduced distribution. Here's What You Need to Know, Omicron Infection Timeline: When Symptoms Start and How Long They Last. 2020;95(8):E208-E210. Beta thalassemia minor or thalassemia trait. For those who develop COVID-19, doctors should be aware of this increased risk of a secondary bacterial infection so that antibiotics can be started early with any signs, such as a fever. Still, the study authors wrote, "the impact of blood type on clinical outcomes remains unclear. If youre a silent carrier or have thalassemia minor, youre unlikely to need typical thalassemia treatments, like blood transfusions or iron therapy. What's the Link Between ARDS and COVID-19? More research is needed to, Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. National Library of Medicine (2022). The present statement summarizes the key challenges concerning the management of haemoglobinopathies, with particular focus on patients with either transfusion-dependent or non-transfusion-dependent thalassaemia, identifies the gaps in knowledge and suggests measures and strategies to deal with the pandemic, based on available evidence and expert opinions. In that event, it's advisable that the therapy be stopped until the infection has cleared. COVID-19 and thalassemia: Frequently asked questions. Learn more about its symptoms and how it's diagnosed. The COVID-19 pandemic may affect both the treatment of thalassemia in general and how COVID-19 is treated in people with thalassemia who become infected. People with beta thalassemia minor can have anemia so mild they dont know they have it. This may cause you to experience mild anemia. At this point in time, there does not appear to be any relationship between blood type and COVID-19related severity of illness or mortality.". 2020;7:306.doi:10.3389/fmed.2020.00306, Mungmunpuntipantip R, Wiwanitkit V. Hemoglobinopathy and COVID-19, Hematol Transfus Cell Ther. SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with -thalassemia: The French experience. Six had their spleens removed. They also may have antiviral effects and positive effects on the immune system, particularly with RNA viruses (viruses that have RNA as its genetic material, such as the virus causing COVID-19). If the synthesis from both genes is severely reduced or absent, the person has . You likely wont have symptoms or may have mild symptoms. April 20, 2020. Iron . Since those studies, a fair amount of research has been conducted on blood type and COVID-19 risk. It causes mild to severe respiratory illness with some flu-like symptoms. There have been multiple studies on blood types and COVID-19 risk. If the inherited mutation affects only one gene, you have beta-thalassemia minor. I declare no competing interests. (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 . Learn what having thalassemia may mean for you during the COVID-19 pandemic. Keywords: A recent study in the Lombardy region identified the positivity of anti-Covid-19 antibodies in 4.5 . WHO COVID19 Dashboard. FDA Approves First Cell-Based Gene Therapy to Treat Adult and Pediatric Patients with Beta-thalassemia Who Require Regular Blood Transfusions.
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