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Anemia and Red Blood Cell Disorders

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Overview

Referrals

Team

Clinical Trials

Resources

The Anemia and Red Blood Cell Disorders Program provides comprehensive care for children with a wide variety of blood disorders that mainly affect the red blood cells. Some of the diseases we frequently treat, include:

  • Sickle cell disease
  • Rare hemoglobinopathies
  • Thalassemia
  • Hereditary spherocytosis
  • G6PD
  • Pyruvate kinase deficiency and other enzyme deficiencies
  • Autoimmune hemolytic anemia and Evans syndrome

Sickle Cell Disease Program

Our Sickle Cell/Hemoglobinopathy Program provides care for more than 400 patients with sickle cell disease annually, making it the largest in the state of California. We offer the latest treatment options, including advanced bone marrow transplantation, when appropriate, in collaboration with the Division of Research Immunology/Bone Marrow Transplantation.

The program is designated by the State of California Newborn Screening Program as a referral center for confirming abnormal hemoglobin, as well as a genetics center for newborn screening. We are one of 12 federally funded Basic and Translational Research Programs studying sickle cell disease in the United States – and the only such program on the west coast.

Thalassemia Program

Our comprehensive Thalassemia Program is the first and largest center in North America, with the capability of measuring organ iron overload by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in children with blood disease, and the only formal Iron Cardiomyopathy Program in the country.

We are one of six Thalassemia Centers nationwide recognized by the federal Center for Disease Control and Prevention for our clinical and research leadership. The program also participates in the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute’s thalassemia clinical research network.

Transfusion Center

Children's Hospital Los Angeles has a dedicated blood bank run by a transfusion medicine specialist to help manage care for children who need blood transfusions. There are 120 patients in the Chronic Transfusion Program.

Iron Overload Program

Our Iron Overload Program is nationally recognized and led by a top pediatric cardiologist in this field. We are the first and largest center in North America with the capability of measuring organ iron overload by magnetic resonance imaging in children with blood disease, and the only formal iron cardiomyopathy program in the country.