Monday, March 24, 2008

.....

today was one of those few days where i studied hard for most the day and so its time for some relaxation now[ blogging!]...started with haematology today morning have finished about 60% now and hopefully will be able to complete it by night..while going through it came through a condition called Thalassemia where the blood hemoglobin synthesis is defective [quantitatively not qualitatively] and hence the patient will be suffering from anemia [decreased O2 carrying capacity of the blood].... in some of them this occurs as a trait [minor form] and in fact may confer to them some degree of protection in 2 ways 1) since in this condition life span of rbc is relatively decreased malaria parasites are unable to survive in the cell and so provides them survival advantage [to the patient]...this is common in some african regions...2) it decreases the incidence of heart attack in some[ not yet proved]...and in fact PETE SAMPRAS was a sufferer of this. [he disclosed this only after his retirement].

7 comments:

gP said...

the protection against malaria n heart disease is new to me! thanx for this great info bro.

Alberto said...

I think calling a carrier of the thalassemic trait a SUFFERER may be confusing. More than Africa the greatest prevalence of Thalassemia is in the Mediterranean countries, extending like a band to India and further. Maybe you got confused with sickle-cell disease which is actually more common in sub-saharan Africa (and afroamericans for example). Good blog, I am following your feed!

broca's area said...

@ ghost thanks:)

@ alberto yeah u r right thalessemia is more common in mediterranean unlike sickle cell anemia which is more common in africa...but both of them do have antimalariaeffect...thanks for ur opinion!!!:)

Solitaire said...

OMG!!! Its all greek and latin to me.

broca's area said...

@ solitaire....it was same thing for me until i studied it!!!....:)

DrD Says said...

hm...interesting!

broca's area said...

@ dr..yeah it is!:)