Microcytic anaemia and haemoglobinopathy in Cape Town children.

Patients with thalassemia as well as those with iron deficiency typically have red cell microcytosis and hypochromia. In view of the large number of children with microcytic anaemia or an isolated microcytosis seen at the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, the frequency with which a low red cell mean corpuscular volume (MCV) was associated with the presence of thalassaemia or with an abnormal haemoglobin was investigated. Of 730 patients with an MCV of 60 fl or less, 46 (6.4%) were found to carry the beta-thalassaemia gene and 20 children (2.7 %) had an abnormal haemoglobin, most commonly haemoglobin E. The prevalence of thalassaemia was greatest among Coloured patients and abnormal haemoglobins were found exclusively in this group of children. The implications of these findings are discussed.