Sickle cell syndromes. I. Hemoglobin SC-alpha-thalassemia

• Published in: Pediatric research Vol. 10; no. 6; pp. 613 - 620
• Main Authors: Honig, G R, Gunay, U, Mason, R G, Vida, L N, Ferenc, C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.06.1976
• Subjects: Anemia, Sickle Cell - blood; Anemia, Sickle Cell - genetics; Child; Erythrocytes - metabolism; Female; Globins - biosynthesis; Hemoglobin C - analysis; Hemoglobin C Disease - blood; Hemoglobin C Disease - genetics; Hemoglobin, Sickle - analysis; Humans; Osmotic Fragility; Pedigree; Sickle Cell Trait - blood; Sickle Cell Trait - genetics; Thalassemia - blood; Thalassemia - genetics
• ISSN: 0031-3998; 1530-0447
• DOI: 10.1203/00006450-197606000-00010

Hematologic and globin synthesis studies were performed in a black American family in which the genes for alpha-thalassemia and hemoglobins (Hb) S and C were segregating. The following distribution of these abnormalities was found: father, sickle cell trait + alpha-thalassemia; mother, HbC trait + alpha-thalassemia, propositus, HbSC + alpha-thalassemia; older sibling, alpha-thalassemia trait; and younger sibling, hemoglobin H disease. The child with HbSC-alpha-thalassemia demonstrated more severe anemia and a more hemolytic picture than is typical of HbSC disease. Her erythrocytes exhibited decreased osmotic fragility in comparison with HbSC erythrocytes, but had an indistinguishable oxygen equilibrium curve and 2, 3-diphosphoglycerate (2, 3-DPG) level. Erythrocyte sickling in the patient, however, was significantly reduced, with less than 35% sickle forms observed at nearly complete oxygen desaturation. The sibling with hemoglobin H disease exhibited 26% Bart's (gamma4) hemoglobin at birth, a level comparable with that seen in infants with HbH disease in Far Eastern populations. At age 5 months typical findings of mild hemoglobin H disease appeared, with HbH making up 6.5% of the total hemoglobin.