ASSESSMENT OF THE HAEMATOLOGICAL INDICES OF HbAS AND STEADY STATE HbSS SUBJECTS RESIDENT IN ABUJA, NIGERIA.

¹Obiechina MC, ²Sanya JO, ¹Okpala S, ³Nwozor CM

¹Department of Physiology, University of Nigeria, Enugu campus

²Department of Physiology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State.

³Department of Physiology, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Uli campus, Anambra State.

ABSTRACT

Sickle cell trait (HbAS) has been regarded as a benign state, whereas there have been reported cases of morbidity associated with HbAS individuals inform of complications and crises. There is an apparent lack of awareness of the likely morbidity of these individuals. This study was conducted to compare the similarities in the hematological Indices of subjects with hemoglobin genotypes AS and Steady State SS. An outpatient population-based study was carried out in Maitama District Hospital, Maitama, Abuja and Kubwa General Hospital, Kubwa, Abuja. The HaemoglobinSS (HbSS), Red Blood Cell count (RBC), Pack Cell Volume (PCV), Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), Mean Corpuscular HaemoglobinSS (MCH) and Mean Corpuscular HaemoglobinSS SS Concentration (MCHC) and platelet (PLT) were measured.168 subjects in the age group 10-40 participated in the study, which included 56 HbAS, 46 steady state HbSS and 66 HbAA control. There was no significant differences between the hematological indices of subjects with hemoglobin genotypes AS and Steady State SS in this study. The result of this study will channel the focus of clinicians and researchers to the likelihood of HbAS being a diseased state and further pay more attention to the health status of HbAS patients.

Key words: HbAS, steady state HbSS, Abuja, hematological indices, assessment.