RESUMEN
The goal of this study was to determine the phenotype distribution, allele frequencies and normal values of haptoglobin in Saudis. Subjects: A sample population consisting of 696 males and 306 females living in the Asir region in southern Saudi Arabia was randomly selected for analysis. Design: Vertical polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used to determine the haptoglobin phenotype in collected serum samples and single radial immuno-diffusion was used to determine haptoglobin concentration in selected samples. Hp 2-1 was the most predominant type occurring at a frequency of 0.487 in the total sample population, 0.532 in males and 0.396 in females. Hp2 was the predominant allele occurring at a frequency of 0.548, 0.524 and 0.604 in the total sample population, males and females respectively. Distribution of Hp types was in agreement with the Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium in the total sample population but it was not in the separate male and female populations. Normal values of the three Hp types were not significantly different within the total sample population and the male population. Significant differences were detected between the three Hp types within the female population and between males and females. This study reports on the haptoglobin phenotype distribution, allele frequency and normal values of haptoglobin in people living in southern Saudi Arabia. This data can be used in ethnogenetic analysis as well as forensic and clinical medicine