Abstract

ARENDS, Anabel et al. HEMOGLOBINOPATHIES IN VENEZUELA. INCI [online]. 2007, vol.32, n.8, pp.516-521. ISSN 0378-1844.

Hemoglobinopathies are a heterogeneous group of congenital defects involving the hemoglobin variants, thalassemias and hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin (HPFH). The distribution of these pathologies in Venezuela was determined. A high frequency was found in some areas, where they represent a mayor public health problem. The study covered 80400 individuals in population studies from different regions and hemolytic anemia patients referred to two centers of hematological research. Cellulose acetate and citrate agar electrophoresis was employed in 76400 cases and 4000 were studied with high performance liquid chromatographic ion exchange (HPLC-CE). It was found that 9% of the individuals carried hemoglobinopathies, being Hb S the most frequent, followed by Hb C and Hb D. The presence of beta thalassemia and its association with Hb S and Hb C was also found. The frequency of b^s haplotypes found in 272 chromosomes was 50.8% Benin, 32.2% CAR, 14.2% Senegal and 2.3% Cameroon. A very high frequency of mixed haplotypes was observed in the sickle cell anemia patients, 82% Ben/CAR, 8.8% Ben/Senegal, CAR/Senegal and Ben/Cameroon, 8% homozygous for Ben and one individual CAR/CAR. It is important to study the prevalence of hemoglobinopathies in all patients with hemolytic anemia in order to establish an early treatment and genetic counseling, achieving a better life standard and savings in the health system.

Keywords : Haplotipos del Gen b-globina; Hemoglobinopatías; HPFH; Talasemia; Variantes de Hemoglobina.