Variations in the relative activities of erythrocyte membrane ATPase with changes in severity of sickle cell anemia.

Red blood cells from 31 patients with sickle cell anemia whose hemoglobins were ascertained as SS were assayed for Mg-, Ca-, Na-, and total ATPase activities. The ATPase activities were correlated with the various stages of severity in each patient as determined by clinical parameters. The results demonstrate that increases in ATPase activities were associated with increases in the percentage severity of sickle cell anemia. Severity correlated inversely with fetal hemoglobin levels in the sickle cell patients. ATPase activities were generally higher in SS genotypes than in AS and AA normal individuals.