The gamma chains of human fetal hemoglobin occur in two nonallelic forms, designated G gamma and A gamma, which differ from one another in having either glycine or alanine as their 136th residue respectively. In newborns, G gamma comprises about 75% of the total gamma chains, while in adults, G gamma comprises about 40% of the total gamma chains. The timing of the switching events that lead to ...

Wit/i the technical assistance of Anne Council F ETAL HEMOGLOBIN ( Hb F) is the major respiratory pigment formed during intrauterine life. In the adult, however, only trace concentrations normally are present. In man there are at least two distinct conditions in which genetic factors cause elevated levels of Hb F in adult life. They are the hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin syndromes a...

Hydroxyurea is the only medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for sickle cell disease, and there is strong evidence to support the efficacy and the cost effectiveness of using hydroxyurea is patients with sickle cell disease by increasing fetal hemoglobin levels. It is important to clarify the relationship between patients' nutritional status/intake and fetal hemoglobin l...

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of intravenous iron to oral iron in the treatment of anemia in pregnancy. METHODS In this randomized open-label study, 90 women with hemoglobin levels between 8 and 10.5 g/dL and ferritin values less than 13 microg/L received either oral iron polymaltose complex (300 mg elemental iron per day) or intravenous iron sucrose. The iron su...