Does Thalassemia cause jaundice?
It depends on the type of thalassemia. Some forms have minimal signs and symptoms. But others can certainly cause jaundice. Beta-thalassemia major affects how red blood cells develop. Those that actually do make it into the blood stream bear “inclusion bodies” that are detected by the spleen. The spleen destroys these red blood cells, releasing cell content, including bilirubin. Because red blood cells are getting destroyed, the body tries to make more and more, and the spleen keeps destroying them. The body can’t clear the bilirubin which presents as jaundice.
