Genetic Background of ß-Thalassemia in Northeast Algeria with Assessment of the Thalassemia Severity Score and Description of a new ß0-Thalassemia Frameshift Mutation (HBB: c.374dup; p.Pro126Thrfs*15).

ß-Thalassemia (ß-thal) is a genetic disorder representing a major health problem in Algeria. Our first objective was to determine the allelic frequencies and molecular spectrum of ß-thal mutations in patients with major hemoglobinopathies [ß-thal major (ß-TM) and sickle cell disease] in three provinces of northeast Algeria. Our second objective was to assess if the clinical management of ß-TM patients depended on their region of origin. Our last objective was to assess a population originating from Maghreb, the reliability of the thalassemia severity score (TSS) for patients with homozygous ß-thal. Sanger HBB gene sequencing was performed on 59 patients with sickle cell disease and 60 with ß-TM. For the latter patients, the genetic modifiers of the TSS were genotyped: α-thalassemia (α-thal) deletions and four Hb F-inducing polymorphisms (XmnI, rs1427407 and rs10189857 for BCL11A and rs9399137 for HMIP). Eleven different ß-thal mutations were found but two of them (HBB: c.118C>T and HBB: c.93-21G>A) accounted for about 70.0% of the ß-thal alleles. A relatively high proportion of Hb S (HBB: c.20A>T)/ß-thal genotypes (27.0%) was found in our sickle cell disease cohort where a new frameshift ß0-thal mutation (HBB: c.374dup; p.Pro126Thrfs*15) was identified. No difference was found in the three provinces. Of the 60 ß-TM patients, those with a high or very high TSS were significantly younger at the age of first transfusion, thus assessing the reliability of this scoring system in a Maghrebin cohort. Trends for a lower age of splenectomy and high ferritin levels were also detected for the higher TSS categories.

HPA antibodies in Algerian multitransfused patients: Prevalence and involvement in platelet refractoriness.

BACKGROUND: Patients receiving cellular blood components may form HLA or HPA antibodies. The frequency and the specificity of HPA antibodies after a series of blood transfusions have never been reported in the Algerian population which is ethnically diverse and runs a higher risk of platelet alloimmunization due to high b allelic frequencies observed for the HPA systems. METHODS: 117 polytransfused patients were included in this study; the detection of HPA antibodies was performed by the Monoclonal Antibody-specific Immobilization of Platelet Antigens method (MAIPA). Post-transfusion platelet effectiveness was evaluated by the calculation of corrected count increment (CCI). RESULTS: The antibodies against platelets were detected in 10.26% of the patients. In this study, the platelet systems concerned by the alloimmunizations were specifically HPA-1, -3 and -5 with particular predominance of HPA-1. Twenty two patients were refractory to platelet transfusion, as assessed by a CCI; in which 64% have factors associated with increased platelet consumption. Platelet Immunization was found in 14% of platelet refractoriness (PTR) cases. 03 Anti-platelet antibodies were directed against GPIb-IX (n = 1), anti-HPA-1b (n = 1) and anti HPA-5b (n = 1) associated with anti-HLA antibodies in two cases. CONCLUSION: HLA and HPA alloimmunization is common among chronically transfused patients. PTR detection, identification of the underlying causes, and selection of the appropriate product for transfusion are fundamental to reduce the risk of major bleedings.