Pattern for alpha-thalassaemia in Yemeni sickle-cell-disease patients

ABSTRACT

A group of Yemeni patients with sickle-cell disease [SCD] and normal Hb AA individuals living in Riyadh were studied to determine the incidence of the alpha-gene molecular defect. Blood samples were obtained from 26 SCD patients and 19 controls [the Hb AA group]. In the SCD patients the frequency of single alpha-gene deletion [-alpha/alpha alpha] was 0.346, compared to 0.263 in the Hb AA group. The frequency of two gene deletion [-alpha/-alpha] was 0.231 [0.0 for the Hb AA group]. In one Hb AA case, a triple alpha-gene arrangement [alpha alpha alpha/alpha alpha] was found [frequency 0.053]. The results suggest that alpha-thalassaemia occurs frequently in Yemeni SCD patients. Further studies to determine the overall frequency of alpha-thalassaemia in the Republic of Yemen would be of value for patient management