Thalassemias — Flashcards

Flashcard 1: Hb _____ is a low-affinity hemoglobin causing pseudoanemia.

Answer: Kansas

Flashcard 2: Most of the functional iron in the body is found in _____

Answer: Hemoglobin

Flashcard 3: One normal type of hemoglobin is _____ which is composed of two alpha and two gamma chains

Answer: HbF

Flashcard 4: Iron deficiency anemia is associated with a(n) _____ free erythrocyte protoporphyrin (FEP)

Answer: increased

Flashcard 5: Chromosome 16, apart from the alpha-globin chain, also synthesizes the _____ chain of embryonic Hb

Answer: Zeta (ζ)

Flashcard 6: $\alpha$-thalassemia due to a _____ gene deletion is characterized by formation of \gamma_4 tetramers, known as Hb Barts

Answer: four

Extra: In $\alpha$-thalassemia with a 4-gene deletion (Hydrops fetalis), no $\alpha$-globin chains are produced. In the fetus, excess $\gamma$-chains form tetramers ($\gamma_4$), known as Hb Barts. These have such a high oxygen affinity that they do not release oxygen to tissues.

Flashcard 7: _____ is the most commonly used indicator for iron in low anemic areas

Answer: serum ferritin

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Flashcard 8: Iron absorption inhibitors include: _____

Answer: phytates, oxalates, calcium, tannins

Flashcard 9: total body iron is _____ gm

Answer: 3-5

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Flashcard 10: 1 gm of Hb contains _____ mg iron

Answer: 3.5

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