DIAGNOSIS
People with Cooley’s anemia are more likely to be of Greek, Italian, African, or Asian descent. Most diagnoses are made between the ages of 6 and 12.
These examinations may reveal if you are a carrier and may convey the condition to your offspring:
- Complete blood count (CBC). This examination measures the size, quantity, and maturity of certain blood cells in a predetermined amount of blood.
- Hemoglobin electrophoresis. The various forms of hemoglobin are identified by this lab test.
One blood sample may be used for all of these investigations. The infant may be identified during pregnancy by amniocentesis or CVS (chorionic villus sampling).
TREATMENT
Treatment will be determined by your symptoms, age, and overall health. Furthermore, it will depend on how serious the problem is.
Treatment options include:
- regular transfusions of blood
- drugs that lower excess iron in your body (also known as iron chelation treatment)
- Surgical removal of the spleen may be required.
- Folic acid daily
- operative gallbladder removal
- regular evaluations of liver and heart health
- genetic analyses
- transplanting bone marrow
Furthermore, avoid using iron supplements. This is because frequent transfusions can cause the accumulation of iron in the heart and other organs, which can lead to organ damage and heart failure.
