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Old Thu Jun 9, 2011, 01:10 PM
Neil Cuadra Neil Cuadra is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Los Angeles, California
Posts: 2,553
The most direct risk from frequent transfusions is iron overload, a buildup of excess iron. Iron levels must be monitored and treated if necessary when patients get many transfusions.

The other risk is that transfusions are only a temporary solution to low blood counts and don't treat the underlying disease. You mentioned in another thread that your brother is 32 years old so supportive care alone is not a suitable long-term approach. The goal of his treatment should be to stop, reverse, or slow the progression of the disease so that he doesn't depend on blood transfusions.
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