<unk> s are inherited blood disorders characterized by decreased hemoglobin production. Symptoms depend on the type and can vary from none to severe. Often there is mild to severe anemia (low red blood cells or hemoglobin). Anemia can result in feeling tired and pale skin. There may also be bone problems, an enlarged spleen, yellowish skin, and dark urine. Slow growth may occur in children.<unk> s are genetic disorders inherited from a person's parents. There are two main types, alpha<unk>  and beta<unk> . The severity of alpha and beta<unk>  depends on how many of the four genes for alpha globin or two genes for beta globin are missing. Diagnosis is typically by blood tests including a complete blood count, special hemoglobin tests, and genetic tests. Diagnosis may occur before birth through prenatal testing. Treatment depends on the type and severity. Treatment for those with more severe disease often includes regular blood transfusions, iron chelation, and folic acid. Iron chelation may be done with deferoxamine, deferasirox or deferiprone. Occasionally, a bone marrow transplant may be an option. Complications may include iron overload from the transfusions with resulting heart or liver disease, infections, and osteoporosis. If the spleen becomes overly enlarged, surgical removal may be required.<unk>  patients who do not respond well to blood transfusions can take hydroxyurea or<unk> idomide, and sometimes a combination of both. Hydroxyurea is the only FDA approved drug for<unk> . Patients who took 10 mg/kg of hydroxyurea every day for a year had significantly higher hemoglobin levels, and it was a well-tolerated treatment for patients who did not respond well to blood transfusions. Another hemoglobin-inducer includes<unk> idomide, although it has not been tested in a clinical setting. The combination of<unk> idomide and hydroxyurea resulted in hemoglobin levels increasing significantly in transfusion-dependent and non-transfusion dependent patients As of 2015,<unk>  occurs in about 280 million people, with about 439,000 having severe disease. It is most common among people of Italian, Greek, Turkish, Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African descent. Males and females have similar rates of disease. It resulted in 16,800 deaths in 2015, down from 36,000 deaths in 1990. Those who have minor degrees of<unk> , similar to those with sickle-cell trait, have some protection against malaria, explaining why they are more common in regions of the world where malaria exists.
Thalassemia
Beta thalassemia
Alpha-thalassemia
Hemoglobinemia
Delta-beta thalassemia
Hereditary spherocytosis
Sideroblastic anemia
Diamond–Blackfan anemia