OBJECTIVE:
To evaluate the G6PD(C563T) Mediterranean mutation among Jordanian females who were admitted to Princess Rahma Teaching Hospital (PRTH) with/or previous history of favism.
STUDY DESIGN:
A descriptive study.
PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY:
Jordanian University of Science and Technology and PRTH, from October 2003 to October 2004.
METHODOLOGY:
After obtaining approval from the Ethics Committee of Jordanian University of Science and Technology, a total of 32 females were included in this study. Samples from 15 healthy individual females were used as a negative control. Blood samples from these patients were collected and analyzed by allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (AS-PCR) to determine the G6PD(C563T) mutation.
RESULTS:
Twenty one out of 32 patients were found to be G6PD(C563T) Mediterranean mutation (65.6%) positive. Three out of 21 patients were homozygous and remaining 18 were heterozygous for G6PD(C563T) Mediterranean mutation. Eleven (34.4%) out of 32 patients were found to be negative for G6PD(C563T) mutation indicating the presence of other G6PD mutations in the study sample.
CONCLUSION:
G6PD(C563T) Mediterranean mutation accounted for 65.6% of the study sample with favism in the North of Jordan. There is likely to be another G6PD deficiency variant implicated in acute hemolytic crisis (favism).
Following complete DNA characterisation patients with Hb H disease were assigned into two groups: deletional (alpha +/alpha o) and non deletional (HbCS/alpha o). Earlier studies have indicated that the group with (HbCS/alpha o) has more severe clinical problems. The serum malonyldialdehyde (MDA) levels, a secondary product of lipid peroxidation were within the normal range, though significantly higher levels of MDA were seen in the non-deletional type of Hb H disease when compared with the deletional type. Markedly low vitamin E levels were also seen in the former group. There were no significant differences in clinical severity may be attributed to an interplay of the accelerated destruction of damaged mature red blood cells secondary to the oxidative denaturation of Hb H and inclusion precipitation; higher levels of Hb H and more inclusion precipitation were seen in the group with (HbCS/alpha o). Low levels of vitamin E in the (HbCS/alpha o) group being due to its consumption in the neutralisation of free radicals formed with the oxidation of globin chains.