This disorder is geographically common in the people of Mediterranean, African and Southeast Asian origin. The cause of the disease is not known other than the fact that it is an inherited disorder. These can be further broken into major and minor thalassaemia. Thalassaemia Major is the severe type where the patient has acute anaemia. The patient has frequent leg ulcers, enlarged spleen and jaundice.
Ineffective erythropoiesis causes abnormal skeletal development.
The long bones suffer frequent fractures and growth is stunted. Iron deposits in the heart muscles can cause complications and heart failure. Iron deposits in liver lead to dysfunctioning of the liver. The life expectancy of Thalassaemia patients is greatly diminished. Thalassaemia Minor patients have slight anaemia but lead normal lives.