THE LEVEL OF FETAL HAEMOGLOBIN IN RELATIVES OF BETA- THALASSEMIA PATIENTS IN KHARTOUM STATE

Abstract

A cross sectional study was undertaken at Khartoum state between November 2008- Fabruary 2009. A total number of 50 relatives of beta thlassemia were consecutively recruited . Hb F level was measured by an akali denaturation procedure. This study aimed at assessing fetal haemoglobin in the parents and siblings of beta thalassemia patients. The study reveled that , the age groups were found to rang from 3 to 70 year. 98% of the study population was found to have elevated Hb F level. There was no significant association between the age groups of subjects and the level of fetal hemoglobin among relatives of beta thalassemia patients. No statistical significance was observed in sex and fetal haemoglobin level among realtives of beta thalassemia patients. Call for psychosocial study should be conducted in order to discourage marriage among relatives , to mitigate and inhibit the expression of beta thalasemia gene specially among those at high risk group of beta thalassemia.