Chan V, Chan V W, Tang M, Lau K, Todd D, Chan T K
University Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong.
Br J Haematol. 1997 Feb;96(2):224-8. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2141.1997.d01-2017.x.
The molecular defect in two unique cases of Hb H hydrops fetalis has been characterized. Both cases are due to co-inheritance of a 'non-deletion' defect affecting the alpha2 gene: at codon 30 delta GAG, Glu) and codon 59 (G --> A, Gly --> Asp) respectively, and a zeta-alpha thalassaemia (thal) 1 or alpha thal 1 genotype. These two non-deletion defects, unlike previously described cases, resulted in severe anaemia of the fetuses and emphasize the importance of performing prenatal diagnosis for these families.