Abstract
Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean cellular hemoglobin (MCH) were determined by means of a Hemalog 8/90 electronic counter in 51 full-term newborn infants with α-thalassemia-2 and 15 with α-thalassemia-1, as well as in 150 normal newborn infants. The mean MCV and MCH values were 92 fl±06 and 33.26 pg±2.22 in the normal newborn infants, 82 fl±07 and 29.40 pg±2.60 in the α-thalassemia-2 subjects, and 73 fl±06 and 26.07 pg±2.05 in the α-thalassemia-1 subjects. Four of the 150 normal newborn infants had MCV's<79 fl and MCH's<29.00 pg whereas 5 of the α-thalassemic subjects had MCV's>90 fl and MCH's>32.00 pg. We conclude that MCV and MCH determinations are unreliable in the diagnosis of α-thalassemia in the neonatal period.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Altay C, Ringelhann B, Yawson GI, Bruce-Tagoe AA, Konotey-Ahulu FID, James L, Gravely M, Huisman TH (1977) Hemoglobin alpha-chain deficiency in black children with variable quantities of hemoglobin Bart's at birth. Pediat Res 11:147–152
Evans DIK, Blair VM (1976) Neonatal screening for haemoglobinopathy. Results in 7691 Manchester newborns. Arch Dis Child 51:127–130
Friedman S, Atwater J, Gill FM, Schwartz E (1974) Alphathalassemia in Negro infants. Pediat Res 8:955–959
Galanello R, Cao A (1979) L'α-Thalassemia: eterogeneità, patologia molecolare, genetica, incidenza, aspetti clinici ed ematologici, fisiopatologia, associazione α-tal/varianti emoglobiniche, prevenzione e terapia. Riv It Ped 5:457–471
Martinez G, Colombo B (1976) Alpha-thalassemia in Cuba. Acta Haematol 55:36–39
Mazza U, Meloni T, David O, Pich PG, Camaschella C, Saglio G, Ciocca Vasino MA, Guerrasio A, Ricco G (1980) γ-Chain composition in five italian newborns heterozygous for Hb F Malta Gγ 117 His→Arg. Br J Haematol 44:93–99
Meloni T, Corti R, Costa S, Mele G, Franca V (in press) α-Thalassemia and hyperbilirubinemia in G-6-PD deficient newborns. Arch Dis Child
Meloni T, Pilo G, Camardella L, Cancedda F, Lania A, Pepe G, Luzzatto L (1980) Co-existence of three hemoglobins with different α-chains in two unrelated children (with family studies indicating polymorphism in the number of α-globin genes in the Sardinian population). Blood 55: 1025–1032
Pembrey ME, Weatherall DJ, Clegg JB, Bunch C, Perrine RP (1975) Haemoglobin Bart's in Saudi Arabia. Br J Haematol 29:221–234
Schmaier A, Maurer HM, Johnston C, Scott R (1973) Alpha thalassemia screening in neonates by mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular hemoglobin determination. J Pediat 83:794–797
Schneider RG, Haggard ME, Gustavson LP, Brimhall B, Jones RT (1974) Genetic haemoglobin abnormalities in about 9000 black and 7000 white newborns: haemoglobin F Dickinson (Aγ97 His→Arg), a new variant. Br J Haematol 28:515–524
Wasi P, Na-Nakorn S, Pootrakul S (1974) α-Thalassemias. Clin Haematol 3:383–410
Weatherall DJ, Clegg JB (1972) The Thalassemia Syndromes. Blackwell Scientific Publication. Oxford
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Meloni, T., Solinas, L., Erre, S. et al. The unreliability of mean corpuscular volume and mean cellular hemoglobin determinations in the diagnosis of α-thalassemia in newborn infants. Eur J Pediatr 135, 165–167 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00441636
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00441636