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Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia type 1


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Other Names:
CDA I; Dyserythropoietic anemia, congenital type 1; Anemia, dyserythropoietic, congenital type 1; CDA I; Dyserythropoietic anemia, congenital type 1; Anemia, dyserythropoietic, congenital type 1; Type I congenital dyserythropoietic anemia See More
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Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia (CDA) type 1 is an inherited blood disorder characterized by moderate to severe anemia. It is usually diagnosed in childhood or adolescence, although in some cases, the condition can be detected before birth. Many affected individuals have yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice) and an enlarged liver and spleen (hepatosplenomegaly). This condition also causes the body to absorb too much iron, which builds up and can damage tissues and organs. In particular, iron overload can lead to an abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia), congestive heart failure, diabetes, and chronic liver disease (cirrhosis). Rarely, people with CDA type I are born with skeletal abnormalities, most often involving the fingers and/or toes. CDA type I usually results from mutations in the CDAN1 (about 90% of the cases) and C150RF41 genes (about 1% of the cases).  In about 9% of the cases no cause can be identified. It is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern.[1][2] Treatment involves medication such as interferon, and sometimes bone marrow transplant.[3]
Last updated: 2/20/2017

Signs and symptoms of congenital dyserythropoietic anemia type 1 (CDA1) commonly become apparent in the newborn period. Symptoms may include:[3] 
  • Anemia: Which is moderate in most cases
  • Jaundice  
  • Iron overload (hemochromatosis): Increased iron absorption may result in heart problems such as congestive heart failure and altered heart rhythm (arrhythmia), as well as liver disease (cirrhosis) and diabetes.
  • Splenomegaly and/or hepatomegaly: May be absent in infants or young children, but develop later with age.
  • Gallstones: May be present in some affected people.
  • Skeletal findings: Specifically in the fingers and toes. 
  • Eye problems resulting in poor vision
Some cases begin in childhood or adulthood, and rarely, in the fetal period, where it presents as hydrops fetalis. Other signs and symptoms that have been reported in people with CDA1 include scoliosis and vertebral defects.[3]
Last updated: 2/20/2017

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

Showing of 19 |
Medical Terms Other Names
Learn More:
HPO ID
5%-29% of people have these symptoms
Short stature
Decreased body height
Small stature
[ more ]
0004322
Small nail
Small nails
0001792
Syndactyly
Webbed fingers or toes
0001159
Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
Anemia of inadequate production 0010972
Anisocytosis
Unequal size of red blood cells
0011273
Autosomal recessive inheritance 0000007
Endopolyploidy on chromosome studies of bone marrow 0003352
Erythroid hyperplasia 0012132
Hepatomegaly
Enlarged liver
0002240
Hydrops fetalis 0001789
Jaundice
Yellow skin
Yellowing of the skin
[ more ]
0000952
Macrocytic dyserythropoietic anemia 0005532
Mild postnatal growth retardation 0001530
Pallor 0000980
Poikilocytosis 0004447
Prolonged neonatal jaundice
Prolonged yellowing of skin in newborn
0006579
Reduced level of N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase II 0003655
Reticulocytosis
Increased immature red blood cells
Increased number of immature red blood cells
[ more ]
0001923
Splenomegaly
Increased spleen size
0001744
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Last updated: 7/1/2020

The long-term outlook (prognosis) for people with congenital dyserythropoietic anemia type 1 (CDA1) is usually good, even if life expectancy is slightly reduced in some cases. Iron overload complications can be fatal if untreated.[2] Yearly iron overload check ups are recommended. Free iron that precipitates in the body's organs can lead to congestive heart failurearrhythmias, diabetes, and chronic liver disease (cirrhosis).[3][1]
Last updated: 2/20/2017

If you need medical advice, you can look for doctors or other healthcare professionals who have experience with this disease. You may find these specialists through advocacy organizations, clinical trials, or articles published in medical journals. You may also want to contact a university or tertiary medical center in your area, because these centers tend to see more complex cases and have the latest technology and treatments.

If you can’t find a specialist in your local area, try contacting national or international specialists. They may be able to refer you to someone they know through conferences or research efforts. Some specialists may be willing to consult with you or your local doctors over the phone or by email if you can't travel to them for care.

You can find more tips in our guide, How to Find a Disease Specialist. We also encourage you to explore the rest of this page to find resources that can help you find specialists.

Healthcare Resources


Related diseases are conditions that have similar signs and symptoms. A health care provider may consider these conditions in the table below when making a diagnosis. Please note that the table may not include all the possible conditions related to this disease.

Conditions with similar signs and symptoms from Orphanet
The diagnosis of CDA should be considered following exclusion of other causes of macrocytosis (B12 deficiency, folic acid deficiency or other megaloblastic anemias such as pernicious anemia or thiamine-responsive megaloblastic anemia syndrome; see this term), acquired dyserythropoiesis (myelodysplastic disorders) and hemolytic anemias. Gilbert syndrome (see this term) and infections should be also excluded.
Visit the Orphanet disease page for more information.

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

  • ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are related to Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia type 1. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

    Please note: Studies listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website are listed for informational purposes only; being listed does not reflect an endorsement by GARD or the NIH. We strongly recommend that you talk with a trusted healthcare provider before choosing to participate in any clinical study.

Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease


These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

  • Genetics Home Reference (GHR) contains information on Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia type 1. This website is maintained by the National Library of Medicine.

In-Depth Information

  • GeneReviews provides current, expert-authored, peer-reviewed, full-text articles describing the application of genetic testing to the diagnosis, management, and genetic counseling of patients with specific inherited conditions.
  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 
    Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia type Ia
    Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia type Ib
  • Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia type 1. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know. Submit a new question

  • What are the long term effects of this disease? How does iron overload affect the pancreas and liver? See answer



  1. Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia. Genetics Home Reference (GHR). July 2009; http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/congenital-dyserythropoietic-anemia.
  2. Congenital Dyserythropoietic Anemia Type I. Orphanet. September, 2013; http://www.orpha.net/consor/cgi-bin/OC_Exp.php?lng=EN&Expert=98869.
  3. Tamary H & Dgany O. Congenital Dyserythropoietic Anemia Type I. GeneReviews. 2016; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK5313/.