thalassemia

The most common single gene disorder in India was beta thallassemia and Dr Verma was drawn to the idea of reducing the number of children born with this problem.

Today neonatal cord blood stem cells are used successfully in the treatment of malignant, genetic and acquired blood diseases, such as leukemia, lymphoma, sickle cell anemia, thallassemia, and immunodeficiencies such as "bubble boy disease.

A few cases of congenital/developmental anomalies or disorders were reported by mothers with TCDD levels > 100 ppt, including sleep apnea (n = 1), pyloric stenosis (n = 1), von Recklinhausen's disease (n = 1), syndactaly (n = 1), histiocytosis (n = 1), ventricular tachycardia (n = 1), hypoplasia of the cord (n = 1), and thallassemia minor (n = 2).

Medical students reviewed the records of all thallassemia major patients under regular care of the Department of Haematology, and those receiving regular blood transfusions at our day care facility.