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Sickle cell/β0-thalassemia associated with the 1393 bp deletion can be associated with a severe phenotype
Yvonne Daniel1, Kim Hill, Baba Inusa
1Blood Sciences, Guy's and St. Thomas' Pathology, St. Thomas' Hospital, London, UK.
In patients who have inherited both the sickle cell gene and the β-thalassemia (β-thal) gene, the nature of the β-thal mutation will impact on the disease phenotype. The β-thal mutation caused by the 1393 bp deletion has previously been described as having a mild clinical phenotype when inherited with the sickle gene. We describe three members of a family with this deletion who present with a more severe phenotype. The severity cannot be explained by their Hb F levels, or the XmnI-HBG2 polymorphism. This deletion cannot be presumed to be associated with a mild disease phenotype and we recommend that patients with Hb S/β(0)-thal are screened for this deletion.
In patients who have inherited both the sickle cell gene and the β-thalassemia (β-thal) gene, the nature of the β-thal mutation will impact on the disease phenotype. The β-thal mutation caused by the 1393 bp deletion has previously been described as having a mild clinical phenotype when inherited with the sickle gene. We describe three members of a family with this deletion who present with a more severe phenotype. The severity cannot be explained by their Hb F levels, or the XmnI-HBG2 polymorphism. This deletion cannot be presumed to be associated with a mild disease phenotype and we recommend that patients with Hb S/β(0)-thal are screened for this deletion.
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