Measurement of glycated haemoglobins in Saudi patients with sickle cell anaemia and other haemoglobinopathies

The levels of glycated haemoglobins were determined in 284 Saudis [both diabetics and non-diabetics] from the Eastern region with normal and abnormal haemoglobin electrophoretic patterns by the boronate affinity chromatography method. A marked decrease in the level of glycated haemoglobin was observed in patients with sickle cell anaemia. A less significant decrease in glycation was noticed in patients with sickle beta 0 and beta + thalassaemia. These changes presumably reflected an altered circulatory half-life of red cells in these disorders. In diabetic patients having an abnormal haemoglobin not associated with haemolysis, the increased amount of glycation was similar to that observed in patients with normal haemoglobin