Globin Synthetic Ratios in Homozygous β-Thalassemia Patients from Lebanon

Abstract

We have studied patients with β-thalassemia from a Lebanese population having a high rate of consanguineous matings. This population exhibits both elevated and normal levels of Hb A2 associated with high levels of Hb F in homozygotes. The clinical course of the anemia suggests that this population consists of the severe Mediterranean type. Twenty-three unrelated homozygous β-thalassemia patients investigated for globin synthetic ratios, consisted of 18 β and 5 β° with a non-α/α range of 0.158-0.465 and 0.25-0.41, respectively. The percentage of ^Gγ chains in Hb F was determined for 21 of these patients and a mean value of 59 % ^Gγ chain content was found.