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01

What are Blood Disorders?

Your blood is living tissue made up of liquid and solids. The liquid part, called plasma, is made of water, salts and protein. Over half of your blood is plasma. The solid part of your blood contains red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.

 

Blood disorders affect one or more parts of the blood and prevent your blood from doing its job. They can be acute or chronic. Many blood disorders are inherited. Other causes include other diseases, side effects of medicines, and a lack of certain nutrients in your diet.

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Most blood disorders decrease the number of cells, proteins, platelets, or nutrients in the blood, or interfere with their function. A majority of blood disorders are caused by mutations in parts of specific genes and can be passed down in families.

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02

What is the difference between blood cancer and blood disorder?

Blood disorders are conditions that prevent blood from functioning properly, while blood cancers are caused by malignant (uncontrolled) growth of blood cells.

  • Blood disorders: Can affect any component of blood, including how it clots or stops bleeding. Some blood disorders are inherited, like sickle cell disease or thalassemia. Others, like anemia, can be controlled through diet and nutrition. 

  • Blood cancers: Involve the malignant growth of blood cells. Common symptoms include fatigue, weakness, frequent infections or bruising, unexplained weight loss, fever, night sweats, swollen lymph nodes, bone pain, shortness of breath, and abdominal discomfort or swelling.

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READ MORE ON THIS LINK- https://www.anthonynolan.org/patients-and-families/blood-cancers-and-blood-disorders

03

What are the different types of blood cancer and blood disorders?

The uncontrolled growth of abnormal blood cells in the bone marrow is called cancer. These abnormal blood cells or cancerous cells prevent the bone marrow from performing its routine functions like producing healthy blood cells, fighting off infections and preventing serious bleeding.

 

There are three main types of blood cancers:

  • Leukaemia

  • Myeloma

  • Lymphomas

  • Other types of blood cancer include: Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), Essential thrombocythaemia (ET), Polycythaemia vera (PV), and Myelofibrosis.

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There are almost a 100 types of blood disorders anaemia being one of the most common.

Speaking of the Indian scenario, anaemia is the most common blood disorder with almost one third of our women population being anaemic, however this condition can be controlled with diet and food supplements. 

 

Some types of blood disorders are listed below

  • Diamond-Blackfan Anaemia

  • Essential Thrombocytosis

  • Fanconi Anaemia

  • Aplastic Anaemia

  • Sickle Cell Disease

  • Haemophilia

  • Thalassemia

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India supports the largest population of Thalassemia affected people in the world. To date almost 10 to 15 thousand children are born with Thalassemia major in India every year.

 

India also holds the number three position as far as Sickle Cell Anaemia is concerned - 15000 children are born with Sickle cell Anaemia every year.

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READ MORE ON THIS LINK- https://www.hematology.org

04

What is Thalassemia and its symptoms?

Thalassemia is a form of inherited autosomal recessive blood disorder characterized by abnormal formation of hemoglobin. The abnormal hemoglobin formed results in improper oxygen transport and destruction of red blood cells. Thalassemia is caused by variant or missing genes that affect how the body makes hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. People with thalassemia make less hemoglobin and have fewer circulating red blood cells than normal, which results in mild to severe microcytic anemia. Thalassemia can cause complications, including iron overload, bone deformities, and cardiovascular illness. 

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Signs and Symptoms:

  • Iron overload: People with thalassemia can get an overload of iron in their bodies, either from the disease itself or from frequent blood transfusions. Too much iron can result in damage to the heart, liver, and endocrine system, which includes glands that produce hormones that regulate processes throughout the body. The damage is characterized by excessive deposits of iron. Without adequate iron chelation therapy, almost all patients with beta-thalassemia accumulate potentially fatal iron levels.

  • Infection: People with thalassemia have an increased risk of infection. This is especially true if the spleen has been removed.

  • Bone deformities: Thalassemia can make the bone marrow expand, which causes bones to widen. This can result in abnormal bone structure, especially in the face and skull. Bone marrow expansion also makes bones thin and brittle, increasing the risk of broken bones.

  • Enlarged spleen: The spleen aids in fighting infection and filters unwanted material, such as old or damaged blood cells. Thalassemia is often accompanied by the destruction of a large number of red blood cells and the task of removing these cells causes the spleen to enlarge. Splenomegaly can make anemia worse, and it can reduce the life of transfused red blood cells. Severe enlargement of the spleen may necessitate its removal.

  • Slowed growth rates: Anemia can cause a child’s growth to slow. Puberty also may be delayed in children with thalassemia.

  • Heart problems: Diseases, such as congestive heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms, may be associated with severe thalassemia.

05

What is Sickle Cell and its symptoms?

Sickle-cell disease (SCD) is a group of genetically passed down blood disorders. The most common type is known as sickle-cell anaemia (SCA). It results in an abnormality in the oxygen-carrying protein haemoglobin found in red blood cells. This leads to a rigid, sickle-like shape under certain circumstances. Problems in sickle cell disease typically begin around 5 to 6 months of age. A number of health problems may develop, such as attacks of pain (“sickle-cell crisis”), anemia, bacterial infections, and stroke. Long term pain may develop as people get older. The average life expectancy in the developed world is 40 to 60 years. Sickle-cell disease occurs when a person inherits two abnormal copies of the haemoglobin gene, one from each parent.

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Symptoms & Signs:

  • Anemia: Sickle cells break apart easily and die. Typical red blood cells usually live for about 120 days before they need to be replaced. But sickle cells usually die in 10 to 20 days, leaving a shortage of red blood cells. This is known as anemia. Without enough red blood cells, the body can't get enough oxygen. This causes fatigue.

  • Episodes of pain: Periodic episodes of extreme pain, called pain crises, are a major symptom of sickle cell anemia. Pain develops when sickle-shaped red blood cells block blood flow through tiny blood vessels to the chest, abdomen and joints.

  • Swelling of hands and feet: Sickle-shaped red blood cells block blood circulation in the hands and feet, which can cause them to swell.

  • Frequent infections: The spleen is important for protecting against infections. Sickle cells can damage the spleen, raising the risk of developing infections. Babies and children with sickle cell anemia commonly receive vaccinations and antibiotics to prevent potentially life-threatening infections, such as pneumonia.

  • Delayed growth or puberty: Red blood cells provide the body with the oxygen and nutrients needed for growth. A shortage of healthy red blood cells can slow growth in babies and children and delay puberty in teenagers.

  • Vision problems: Tiny blood vessels that supply blood to the eyes can become plugged with sickle cells. This can damage the portion of the eye that processes visual images, called the retina, and lead to vision problems.

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