title: Clinical and haematological data in 254 cases of beta-thalassaemia trait in Italy.
abstract: The haematological and clinical data in 254 Italian subjects with beta-thalassaemia trait are reported. 46% of the patients were anaemic, 40% complained of weakness, 19% showed enlargement of the spleen and 10% enlargement of the liver. The haemoglobin levels ranged from 8 to 15.5 g/dl with a normal distribution and a mean of 12.73 for males, 10.93 for females and 11.34 for children (4-15 years). Reticulocyte counts and serum bilirubin levels were slightly increased and both showed a statistically significant relationship with haemoglobin levels. The serum iron level was increased in 27% and decreased in 6% of the cases. Haemoglobin A2 concentrations ranged from 3.5% to 8% with a normal distribution and a mean of 5.37; Hb F values were less than 1% in 36% and varied from 1 to 14% in the remainder. Red cell osmotic fragility was decreased in all but 6% of the subjects: low MCV, MCH and MCHC values were observed in 75%, 86% and 10% respectively. A comparison is made between the data and those obtained by other workers.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004912:Erythrocytes; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D009996:Osmotic Fragility; D012156:Reticulocytes; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins