Rare Association between Two Genetic Conditions: Turner Syndrome and Beta Thalassemia Minor

Rare disorders are defined as diseases, including those of genetic origin, which are life-threatening or chronically debilitating, which are of such low prevalence that special combined efforts are needed to address them. We present a case with a rare association between two genetic conditions: Turner phenotype and beta thalassemia minor. Turner syndrome is a chromosomal disorder that is characterized by the absence of all or part of a second sex chromosome in some or all cells. This condition occurs in 1 in 2,500 to 3,000 girls. The physical features include webbing of the neck, short stature, delayed growth of the skeleton, broad chest, cardivascular abnormalities and gonadal dysgenesis. Women with this disorder are usually infertile due to ovarian failure. The clinical diagnosis was confirmed by the cytogenetic and by FISH analysis, which revealed the presence of only one X chromosome. Treatment may include human growth hormone and estrogen replacement therapy. On the other hand, thalassemias are genetic conditions that result from imbalance in the normal coordinated synthesis of the globin subunits that make up the hemoglobin tetramer, leading to decreased and defective production of hemoglobin. Beta thalassemia syndromes are hereditary disorders characterized by a genetic deficiency in the synthesis of beta-globin chains. thalassemia is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. Thalassemia minor usually presents as an asymptomatic mild microcytic anemia, but our case also had splenomegaly and required splenectomy.