Study of foetal hemoglobin [HbF] and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase [G6PD] in children of hilly areas of Abbottabad

ABSTRACT

Two hundred and thirty apparently healthy children [150 males and 80 females] and 120 refractory anaemic children [70 males and 50 females] of different age groups were investigated for Foetal Haemoglobin [HbF], HbA2 and Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase [G6PD] for a period of 18 months. Age ranged between 8 months to 14 ears. The mean Hb of healthy and anaemic children was 13.9 g/dl and 6.4 g/dl respectively. The mean HbF levels were 0.917, in healthy and 13.6% in anaemic children. Twenty four percent of anaemic children had elevated HbF wind most of them showed associated increase of HbA2. Ten cases of thalassaemia major and 19 cases of thalassemia minor were identified. Among the healthy children, three males and one female were found to be CdFPD deficient, while in anaemic children, 8 males and 4 females had G6PD deficiency. No relationship was observed between HbF and G6PD. However, an unusual case was found who had inherited G6PD deficiency from father and beta thalassaemia from the mother's side