Abstract:
This was a descriptive analytical study conducts in Aljazeera State during
November 2008 to January 2009 was carried out in patients suffering
from β thalssemia and their relatives in Wad madani pediatric teaching
Hospital, to estimate the frequency of β thalssemia in patients and their
relatives .
70 persons (30 males and 40 females), their ages ranged between 2 to 80
years was enrolled .
Five mL of venous blood was collected from each person, 2.5 mL into
EDTA containers, for blood films, full blood count (CBC) using
electronically method (Sysmex Kx 21n.fully automated hematologyical
analyzer), and hemoglobin F quantification (Betke et al. method), were
performed on all subjects, and 2.5mL in to plain containers for serum
ferritin , and serum iron using (A25 automated system), were performed
only on microcytic hypochromic samples.
A reduced mean corpuscular volume (MCV) of <80 fl with reduced
mean corpuscular heamogloin (MCH) of <27, and elevated HbF (mean
4.6) used as a screening test for thalassaemia in this population, followed
by iron studies to the microcytic hypochromic samples (mean of iron
76.08 and ferritin 134.86), to confirm the diagnosis. Using this approach,
43 cases (61.4%) were diagnosed of β-thalassaemia trait, while 22
(31.5%) were normal and 5 cases (7.1%) was already diagnosed as β-
thalassaemia patients.
