title: Post-natal decline of fetal haemoglobin in homozygous sickle cell disease: relationship to parenteral Hb F levels.
abstract: The decline of fetal haemoglobin (Hb F) from birth to 6 years has been compared in a cohort of 266 Jamaican children with homozygous sickle cel (SS) disease and in 243 matched controls with a normal haemoglobin (AA) genotype. Hb F levels were significantly higher in the SS cases from 1 month onward but, unlike the normal controls, no sex difference was apparent. The Hb F levels in SS disease were significantly correlated with parental Hb F levels, suggesting that genetic factors regulating adult Hb F levels are active at earlier stages in development. Furthermore, some of these genetic determinants of Hb F production may be linked to the beta-like globin gene complex and be in linkage disequilibrium with the beta s allele.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005319:Fetal Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D005319:Fetal Hemoglobin