Why hepatomegaly occurs in thalassemia?

In thalassemia, there is ineffective erythropoiesis, which means that the bone marrow produces red blood cells that are not functional and are destroyed prematurely. This process leads to the accumulation of iron in the body, a condition called iron overload.

The liver is the primary organ responsible for metabolizing iron. In thalassemia, the liver becomes overloaded with iron and can no longer effectively process it. This leads to hepatomegaly, which is an enlargement of the liver.

Hepatomegaly in thalassemia can also be caused by other factors, such as:

* Increased blood flow to the liver

* Portal hypertension (high blood pressure in the portal vein, which carries blood from the intestines to the liver)

* Cholestasis (a condition in which bile, a fluid that helps digest fats, cannot flow freely from the liver to the intestines)