Korean J Hematol.  2011 Sep;46(3):192-195. 10.5045/kjh.2011.46.3.192.

Genotypic influence of alpha-deletions on the phenotype of Indian sickle cell anemia patients

• Pandey S
• Pandey S
• Mishra RM
• Sharma M
• Saxena R

• KMID: 2252003
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5045/kjh.2011.46.3.192

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Some reports have shown that co-inheritance of alpha-thalassemia and sickle cell disease improves hematological parameters and results in a relatively mild clinical picture for patients; however, the exact molecular basis and clinical significance of the interaction between alpha-thalassemia and sickle cell disease in India has not yet been described. There is little agreement on the clinical effects of alpha-thalassemia on the phenotype of sickle cell disease.
METHODS
Complete blood count and red cell indices were measured by an automated cell analyzer. Quantitative assessment of hemoglobin variants HbF, HbA, HbA2, and HbS was performed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). DNA extraction was performed using the phenol-chloroform method, and molecular study for common alpha-deletions was done by gap-PCR.
RESULTS
Out of 60 sickle cell anemia patients, the alpha-thalassemia genotype was found in 18 patients. Three patients had the triplicated alpha-genotype (Anti alpha-3.7 kb), and the remaining patients did not have alpha-deletions. This study indicates that patients with co-existing alpha-thalassemia and sickle cell disease had a mild phenotype, significantly improved hematological parameters, and fewer blood transfusions than the patients with sickle cell anemia without co-existing alpha-deletions.
CONCLUSION
Co-existence of alpha-thalassemia and sickle cell anemia has significant effects on the phenotype of Indian sickle cell patients.

Keyword

alpha-thalasemia; Sickle cell anemia; Hemoglobinopathies

MeSH Terms

alpha-Thalassemia
Anemia, Sickle Cell
Blood Cell Count
Blood Transfusion
Chromatography, Liquid
DNA
Erythrocyte Indices
Genotype
Hemoglobinopathies
Hemoglobins
Humans
India
Phenotype
DNA
Hemoglobins

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