What conditions are associated with transfusion iron overload?
Beta-thalassemia major is the best described because on a worldwide basis this is numerically the most important group, less so in the United States. So, most of our experience with the effects of iron overload have been gained with beta-thalassemia major. Transfusion typically begins within a year of birth and therefore the effects of the iron load are very important with respect to the anterior pituitary load. Other types of chronic transfusion dependent anemias which begin in childhood have a similar range of effects in terms of iron loading. These include the very rare Fanconi’s anemia, Diamond-Blackfan anemia and some congenital dyserythropoietic anemias and from what we can see there is no difference fundamentally in the effects of the iron loading in these conditions from beta-thalassemia major. In the United States sickle cell disease is a very important group numerically and although transfusion is not required to maintain life it has become increasingly important to treat the
