title: [Clinical consequences of alpha-thalassemia in the Basque Country, Spain. Impact of neonatal screening].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alpha-thalassemia is the most common hemoglobinopathy with a variable clinical manifestation depending on the number of allele mutations (asymptomatic/mild anemia if 1-2 allele mutations, severe disease if 3-4 allele mutations). A study was conducted from May 2011 on hemoglobinopathies found in the neonatal screening in the autonomous community of the Basque Country (CAPV).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the impact of alpha-thalassemia in this area and the effectiveness of its neonatal screening.
  
  
  METHODS
  A review was made of patients with a positive gene study for alpha-thalassemia over a 2-year period (2012-2013) and an analysis was made of the age at diagnosis, ethnic group, analytical result, and treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The genetic study was performed on 107 patients, of which 61 had some mutation, with 62% having one allele mutations and 38% with two alleles. The mean age at diagnosis was 31 years, with 28% being younger than eighteen years old. Most of the patients were European with a significant number of Africans (26%) and Arabs (13%). All patients were asymptomatic, and 28% had mild anemia. Two patients were diagnosed by neonatal screening. Most of them did not need any treatment or only required iron therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The detection of one or two alpha gene mutations has no clinical impact, but allows genetic counseling. No patient was found with 3-4 mutations or severe symptoms in our region. Contrarily to the diagnosis of other diseases, our results does not support that routine neonatal screening for alpha-thalassemia has any clinical impact in our community.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Pediatría, Hospital Universitario de Cruces, Barakaldo, Vizcaya, España. Electronic address: amaia.aristizabalsegarra@osakidetza.net.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aristizabal
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Hematología, Hospital Universitario de Cruces, Barakaldo, Vizcaya, España.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Merino
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Pediatría, Hospital Universitario de Cruces, Barakaldo, Vizcaya, España.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Catediano
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Hematología, Hospital Universitario de Cruces, Barakaldo, Vizcaya, España.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sasieta
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Bioquímica, Hospital Universitario de Cruces, Barakaldo, Vizcaya, España.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aragües
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Pediatría, Hospital Universitario de Cruces, Barakaldo, Vizcaya, España.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Navajas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005820:Genetic Testing; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008875:Middle Aged; D015997:Neonatal Screening; D013030:Spain; D055815:Young Adult; D017085:alpha-Thalassemia / Q000235:genetics*
keywords: Alfa; Alpha; Neonatal; Screening; Talasemia; Thalassemia