CRITICAL ISSUES: While HbE by itself presents as a mild anemia and a single gene for β-thalassemia is not serious, it remains unexplained why HbE/β-thalassemia (HbE/β-thal) is a grave disease with high morbidity and mortality. Patients often exhibit defective physical development, severe chronic anemia, and often die of cardiovascular disease and severe infections. Recent Advances: This article presents an overview of HbE/β-thal disease with an emphasis on new findings pointing to pathophysiological mechanisms derived from and initiated by the dysfunctional property of HbE as a reduced nitrite reductase concomitant with excess α-chains exacerbating unstable HbE, leading to a combination of nitric oxide imbalance, oxidative stress, and proinflammatory events.
FUTURE DIRECTIONS: Additionally, we present new therapeutic strategies that are based on the emerging molecular-level understanding of the pathophysiology of this and other hemoglobinopathies. These strategies are designed to short-circuit the inflammatory cascade leading to devastating chronic morbidity and fatal consequences. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 26, 794-813.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study was carried out on 297 newborns recruited consecutively at Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra Hospital in the south of Thailand. The SAO was identified on blood smear examination and polymerase chain reaction analysis. Thalassemia genotypes were defined. Hematologic parameters and hemoglobin (Hb) profiles were recorded and analyzed.
RESULTS: Among 297 newborns, 15 (5.1%) carried SAO, whereas 70 (23.6%) had thalassemia with 15 different thalassemia genotypes. Abnormal Hb including Hb C, Hb Q-Thailand, and Hb D-Punjab were observed in 5 newborns. It was found in the nonthalassemic newborns that RBC count, Hb, and hematocrit of the nonthalassemic newborns with SAO were significantly lower than those without SAO. The same finding was also observed in the thalassemic newborns; RBC count, Hb, and hematocrit of the thalassemic newborns with SAO were significantly lower than those without SAO. However, the mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular Hb, and RBC distribution width of the SAO-newborns were significantly higher.
CONCLUSIONS: Both SAO and hemoglobinopathy genotypes are common in southern Thailand. One should take this into consideration when evaluating neonatal anemia and other hematologic abnormalities. Identification of both genetic defects and long-term monitoring on the clinical outcome of this genetic interaction should be essential to understand the pathogenesis of these common genetic disorders in the region.