Thalassemia among blood donors at the hospital universiti sains Malaysia

The aim of this study was to screen and identify the types of thalassemia among blood donors at the Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM). Thalassemia screening was performed by hemoglobin electrophoresis. A total number of 80 blood samples were obtained from donors at the Transfusion Medicine U...

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Published inSoutheast Asian journal of tropical medicine and public health Vol. 37; no. 3; pp. 549 - 552
Main Authors ROSLINE, H, AHMED, S. A, AL-JOUDI, F. S, RAPIAAH, M, NAING, N. N, NOR ATIFAH MOHD ADAM
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Bangkok Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization, Regional Tropical Medicine and Public Health Network 01.05.2006
Central Coordinating Board, SEAMEO-TROPMED Project
Subjects
Anemias. Hemoglobinopathies
Biological and medical sciences
Blood Donors
Diseases of red blood cells
Electrophoresis
Female
General aspects
Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases
Humans
Malaysia
Male
Mass Screening - methods
Medical sciences
Prevalence
Thalassemia - blood
Thalassemia - classification
Thalassemia - diagnosis
Asia
Malaysia
Hemoglobinopathy
Hemolytic anemia
Tropical medicine
Thalassemia
Hemopathy
Hospital
Genetic disease
Blood donor
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Summary:The aim of this study was to screen and identify the types of thalassemia among blood donors at the Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM). Thalassemia screening was performed by hemoglobin electrophoresis. A total number of 80 blood samples were obtained from donors at the Transfusion Medicine Unit, HUSM. The ethnic origins of the donors were Malays (n=73, 91.3%) and non-Malays (n=7, 8.75%). Males comprised 88.1% of the donors. Thalassemia was detected in 16.25% (n=13) of the blood donors. Of those with thalassemia, 46.2% (6/13) were anemic. Microcytosis and hypochromia were detected in 84.6% (n=l1) and 84.6% (n=l1) of these donors, respectively. The types of thalassemias detected were Hb E, 11.25% (n=9/80) and beta thalassemia trait, 5% (n=4/80). Among the thalassemias detected, the Hb E hemoglobinopathy was comprised of Hb E/ alpha-thalassemia (38.5%: n=5), Hb E /beta-thalassemia (23.1%: n=3), Hb E trait (7.6%: n=1) and beta-thalassemia (30.8%: n=4). In conclusion, screening for thalassemia trait should be included as part of a standard blood testing before blood donation. Further studies are required to look at the effects of donated thalassemic blood.
ISSN:0125-1562