High frequency of deletional α-thalassemia in β-thalassemia trait: Implications for genetic counseling
✍ Scribed by I. Panigrahi; P.H. Ahmed Rafeeq; V.P. Choudhry; R. Saxena
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 2004
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 73 KB
- Volume
- 76
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0361-8609
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✦ Synopsis
Abstract
Thalassemias are a group of genetic hemolytic disorders with varying phenotypes. In this study, the frequency of α globin gene deletions was studied in the β‐thalassemia trait, the mildest form of the disorder. Eleven out of 33 (33%) individuals were positive for α^−3.7 kb^ deletions. None of the subjects was positive for the Southeast Asian deletion. Such a high frequency for α deletions has not been reported earlier in thalassemia minor. Hematological parameters are compared, and implications of this finding for genetic counseling are discussed. Am. J. Hematol. 76:297–299, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.