First observation of Hb Taybe [Codons 38/39 (-Acc) Thr-->0 (alpha1)] in Greece: clinical and hematological findings in patients with co-inherited alpha+-thalassemia mutations.

This report describes four unrelated Greek patients (one child and three adults) who all had an atypical thalassemia intermedia phenotype, characterized by chronic moderate anemia with mild hemolysis in some cases, and the absence of abnormal hemoglobin (Hb) fractions. DNA analysis identified the inheritance of common alpha(+)-thalassemia (alpha(+)-thal) mutations in trans to an in-frame 3 bp deletion at codons 38/39 (-ACC) on the alpha1-globin gene, previously described as Hb Taybe. Hematological findings in the parents of three of the Hb Taybe carrier cases, together with a fourth unrelated carrier, are also presented. These cases represent the first observation of Hb Taybe in the Greek population, as to date, it has only been observed in Israeli-Arab families. With the exception of one patient and his mother who both originate from Corfu, all our cases come from the Greek island of Crete.

Further identification of the hyperunstable alpha-globin chain variant Hb Heraklion [codons 36/37 (-CCC); Pro-->0 (alpha1)] in Greek cases with co-inherited alpha+-thalassemia mutations.

We report four Greek cases (from three unrelated families), who all had a similar atypical thalassemia intermedia phenotype, characterized by chronic moderate anemia, mild hemolysis and splenomegaly in the absence of abnormal hemoglobin (Hb) fractions. In all four cases (two unrelated children and two siblings), DNA analysis identified common alpha(+)-thalassemia (alpha(+)-thal) mutations in trans to the in frame 3 bp deletion (-CCC) on the alpha1-globin gene between codons 36 and 37, which has previously been reported as Hb Heraklion in a single Greek case. Clinical, hematological and biochemical findings in all cases, including a follow-up evaluation of the original case, are described. All the cases originated from the Greek island of Crete.