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Alpha thalassemia among sickle cell anaemia patients in Kampala, Uganda.
- Source :
-
African health sciences [Afr Health Sci] 2015 Jun; Vol. 15 (2), pp. 682-9. - Publication Year :
- 2015
-
Abstract
- Background: Sickle cell anaemia is prevalent in sub Saharan Africa. While α+-thalassaemia is known to modulate sickle cell anaemia, its magnitude and significance in Uganda have hitherto not been described.<br />Objectives: To determine the prevalence of α+thalassaemia among sickle cell anaemia patients in Mulago Hospital and to describe the clinical and laboratory findings in these patients.<br />Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out on patients with sickle cell anaemia in Kampala. Dried blood spots were used to analyze for the deletional α+ thalassaemia using multiplex polymerase chain reaction.<br />Results: Of the 142 patients with sickle cell anaemia, 110 (77.5%) had the αα+thalassaemia deletion. The gene frequency of (-α) was 0.425. Ninety one percent (100/110) of those with α+thalassaemia were heterozygous (αα/α-). Amongst the patients older than 60 months, 15 (83.3%) of those without αα+thalassaemia had significant hepatomegaly of greater than 4 cm compared to 36 (45.6%) of those with α+thalassaemia (p=0.003).<br />Conclusion: The gene frequency of (-α) of 0.425 noted in this study is higher than that reported from many places in Africa. Concurrent alpha thalassemia might be a protective trait against significant hepatomegaly in sickle cell anaemia patients more than 60 months of age at Mulago hospital.
- Subjects :
- Aged
Anemia, Sickle Cell diagnosis
Anemia, Sickle Cell genetics
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Gene Frequency
Humans
Male
Prevalence
Surveys and Questionnaires
Uganda epidemiology
alpha-Thalassemia diagnosis
alpha-Thalassemia genetics
Anemia, Sickle Cell epidemiology
alpha-Thalassemia epidemiology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1729-0503
- Volume :
- 15
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- African health sciences
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 26124820
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.4314/ahs.v15i2.48