Sickle cell disease and thalassemias are hemoglobinopathies or anemias caused by genetic mutations (1).
Thalassemias are inherited microcytic (cells are small in size), hemolytic (cells are ruptured/destroyed) anemias. Adult hemoglobin (Hb) molecules include four globin chains (2). Thalassemia is caused by a reduced production of at least one globin peptide chain (beta, alpha, gamma, delta). The excess unpaired globin chains lead to hemolysis and impaired