Causes And Complications Of Diamond-Blackfan Anemia

Iron Overload

A Diamond-Blackfan anemia patient may experience iron overload as a result of the treatment they receive for their disease. Iron is a mineral required for the body to produce hemoglobin, which is responsible for transporting oxygen to the tissues via the red blood cells in the bloodstream. In healthy individuals, iron is recycled in the body and can maintain a proper level. The human body does not have a natural mechanism that facilitates the removal of iron from the body when it does become too abundant, causing a condition called iron overload. An individual with iron overload can incur damage to vital organs when iron builds up in their tissues because it is toxic. Iron overload often occurs as a complication of blood transfusions in individuals affected by Diamond-Blackfan anemia. Large amounts of iron are present in donor blood infused into the affected individual's body to increase their red blood cell count. However, not all of the iron is converted to hemoglobin, and it begins to accumulate in the body after several transfusions. Removing the iron mineral before the blood transfusion would render it ineffective at increasing red blood cell count, so iron chelation therapy must be used to prevent iron overload.

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