Fetal Hemoglobin Levels and Splenic Function in Sickle-Cell Disease

Sinasi Özsoylu, MD, Professor of Pediatrics and Pediatric Hematologist, Hacettepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Hematology Unit and Hacettepe Children’s Hospital, Ankara (Turkey) A. Al-Awamy et al. [1] inclined to relate the absence of priapism in Saudi sickle-cell anemia patients to the high Hb F levels of their patients in a recent communication. This conclusion was supported by comparing their patients’ findings with those of Jamaican patients with sickle cell anemia. Although Hb F levels in Turkish sickle cell anemia patients are also higher (mean 11.5%; range 1.7–36%) compared to the Jamaican patients, we could not show any correlation between its concentration and hemaglobin, hematocrit levels, reticulocyte and normoblast counts in our patients [2]. Since Hb F levels of the authors’ patients Table I. Splenic size, Hb F levels and scanning results in patients with sickle cell disease Age Sex Spleen, cm Hb F, % Splenic scanning