Impact of COVID-19 on Hemoglobin Disorders
Summary
The global COVID-19 pandemic has posed unique challenges for individuals with haemoglobin disorders, a group that includes sickle cell disease and thalassaemia. Although many patients experience mild or asymptomatic infection, underlying complications such as chronic anaemia, iron overload and organ dysfunction can amplify the risk of severe outcomes. Acute events characteristic of sickle cell disease, notably vaso-occlusive crises and acute chest syndrome, have been reported during SARS-CoV-2 infection, placing additional strain on respiratory and vascular systems. Transfusion-dependent patients faced logistic hurdles in accessing regular blood products and iron chelation therapy, while disruptions to routine care intensified the burden on multidisciplinary teams. At the same time, evidence has emerged that effective vaccination elicits robust antibody responses in this population, offering protection against severe disease. Co-morbidities including obesity, hypertension and chronic respiratory or cardiovascular conditions remain strong predictors of adverse course. The pandemic has underscored the importance of international registries and collaborative networks in generating real-time data and refining management strategies for rare red blood cell disorders during public health emergencies.
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Impact of COVID-19 on Hemoglobin Disorders publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in impact of covid-19 on hemoglobin disorders across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Haemoglobinopathy: Inherited disorder affecting the structure or production of haemoglobin molecules.
Thalassaemia: Genetic condition characterised by reduced or absent synthesis of one or more globin chains, often requiring regular blood transfusions.
Sickle cell disease: Disorder caused by a mutation in the β-globin gene leading to polymerisation of haemoglobin S and episodic vaso-occlusion.
Vaso-occlusive crisis: Acute painful episodes in sickle cell disease resulting from microvascular obstruction by sickled erythrocytes.
Acute chest syndrome: Potentially life-threatening pulmonary complication in sickle cell disease marked by chest pain, fever and new lung infiltrates.
Neutralising antibody: Antibody that specifically inhibits viral entry into host cells, reducing infectivity.
References
- COVID- 19 in patients affected by red blood cell disorders, results from the European registry ERN-EuroBloodNet. Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases (2025).
- Immunogenicity of The BNT162b2 COVID-19 mRNA and ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 Vaccines in Patients with Hemoglobinopathies. Vaccines (2022).
- Vulnerability of β-Thalassemia Heterozygotes to COVID-19: Results from a Cohort Study. Journal of Personalized Medicine (2022).
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