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- Tim R. Randolph, PhD, CLS(NCA)⇑
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Address for Correspondence:
Tim R. Randolph, PhD, CLS(NCA), Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, Doisy College of Health Sciences, Saint Louis University, 3437 Caroline St., St. Louis, MO 63104-1111, randoltr{at}slu.edu
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to estimate the prevalence of sickle hemoglobin in northern Haiti.
DESIGN: Sickle cell testing occurred from 2002-2009. Blood samples from 1035 subjects were collected for diagnostic purposes, de-identified, and made available for the study.
SETTING: Bethesda Medical Center and Eben-Ezer Clinic in northern Haiti.
SUBJECTS: Study subjects included prenatal patients, their companions, clinic staff and volunteers. All subjects were Haitian and selected to most closely represent healthy patients present at the clinic. De-identification of the blood samples precluded the need for informed consent.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Each subject was tested for sickle hemoglobin using a standard hemoglobin solubility test and results were recorded as either positive or negative.
RESULTS: The estimated prevalence of sickle hemoglobin was 15.1% with a 95% confidence interval of 12.2-18%.
CONCLUSIONS: These prevalence rates validate the clinical significance of sickle cell disorder, help guide clinical decisions, and suggest the need to develop intervention programs among the people of northern Haiti.
ABBREVIATIONS: SS = Homozygous for the sickle cell gene; AS = Heterozygous for the sickle cell gene; SCD = Sickle cell disease (homozygous); SCT = Sickle cell trait (heterozygous).
- INDEX TERMS
- Sickle cell
- anemia
- Haiti
- beta globin
- mutation
- ©Copyright 2009 American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science Inc. All rights reserved.
