Haemoglobinopathies in a large hospital in Kuwait

One year experience of various haemoglobinopathies encountered in a large hospital in Kuwait is presented. During the period under study (1988), 84,341 complete blood counts (CBC's) were performed. Haemoglobin electrophoresis was performed in 1289 of these samples; 261 abnormal results were encountered. Almost all the commonly occurring haemoglobinopathies in the world were seen among Kuwaities, probably as a result of inheritance of different haemoglobinopathy genes from different parts of the world. Indirect evidences suggest that alpha thalassemia may be the commonest haemoglobinopathy in Kuwait; a picture not unlike that of Saudi Arabia which is one of its neighbours.