Effect of alpha thalassaemia, G-6-PD deficiency and Hb F on the nature of sickle cell anaemia in south-western Saudi Arabia.

This study was conducted on sickle cell anaemia (SCA) patients from the south-western province (SWP) of Saudi Arabia to determine the effect of thalassaemias, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) deficiency and Hb F level on the clinical presentation of sickle cell anaemia. The results showed that associated alpha-thalassaemia improved the haematological parameter values while associated G-6-PD deficiency and high Hb F level did not play a significant role in amelioration of the disease in these patients. Hb S/beta(0) -thalassaemia cases showed a severe anaemia similar to the SCA patients without alpha-thalassaemia. However, considerable improvement of the haematological parameters were found in patients with S/beta(0)-thalassaemia and associated alpha-thalassaemia. This paper reveals that alpha-thalassaemia may partially ameliorate the clinical manifestations of SCA in Saudi patients from the SWP, while high Hb F level and G-6-PD deficiency do not modify SCA to any statistically significant extent.