Exchange blood transfusions for the treatment of leg ulcerations in thalassemia intermedia

Abstract

Thalassemia intermedia is a heterogeneous, transfusion-independent form of b-thalassemia, with a clinical course dominated by multi-organ effects of chronic tissue hypoxia, in which hemoglobin F percentage seems to play an important role. We describe the case of a transfusion-independent thalassemia intermedia patient (total hemoglobin 10.7 g/dl) with high hemoglobin F percentage (70%), who presented with persistent leg ulcerations. The patient was successfully treated with one-year exchange blood transfusions, which reduced hemoglobin F percentage to 35%.