Patients
Efforts were made to recall as many of the patients in the previous
observational study 12 as possible, using the parents’
phone numbers. The study was conducted between September 2021 and May
2022. The patients were attending the pediatric and adult hematology
clinics of Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital in Kuwait. They were studied in
steady state i.e., no acute illness, crisis or blood transfusion within
3 months of the study. The study was approved by the Human Ethics
Committee of the Health Science Centre and the Kuwait Ministry of
Health. An informed, signed consent was obtained from the parents and/or
patients as appropriate.
Laboratory Examinations Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)
tubes were used to collect blood through venipuncture. Complete blood
count (CBC) was carried out using ABX Pentra 120 cell counter.
Cation-exchange high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used
to confirm the hemoglobin (Hb) genotype and the hemoglobin F (HbF)
concentration. Serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH, IU/L), and bilirubin
(µmol/L) were measured using routine techniques.