PEDIATRICS Vol. 69 No. 6 June 1982, pp. 734-738
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Developmental Changes in Hemoglobin F Levels During the First Two Years of Life in Normal and Heterozygous beta-Thalassemia Infants

Anna D. Metaxotou-Mavromati MD1, Helene K. Antonopoulou MD1, Sophie S. Laskari MD1, Helene K. Tsiarta BSc1, Vasilis A. Ladis MD1, and Christos A. Kattamis MD1

1 First Department of Pediatrics, Thalassemia Unit, Athens University, Athens, Greece

To study the developmental pattern of hemoglobin F (HbF) during the first two years of life, levels of HbF were estimated in two groups of infants: 117 normal infants and 98 heterozygotes for beta-thalassemia, all aged between 1 and 24 months. The results may be summarized as follows: (1) Levels of HbF in beta-thalassemia heterozygotes were significantly higher than those of normal infants of the same age (P < .01). (2) A reference curve for the decline of HbF in infants with beta-thalassemia trait was established to facilitate the diagnosis of heterozygotes during this period of life. (3) Hemoglobin A2 (HbA2) was also higher in beta-thalassemia heterozygotes than in normal infants of the same age. HbA2 increases with increasing age, reaching normal adult values at age 5 to 6 months. It is postulated that the higher level of HbF in heterozygous infants during the first two years of life is associated with the presence of the beta-thalassemia gene, which influences the increased synthesis of HbF in red cells.

Submitted on May 18, 1981
Accepted on July 17, 1981