HEMATOLOGIC PROFILE AND LYMPHOCYTE SUBPOPULATIONS IN HEMOGLOBIN SG DISEASE - COMPARISON WITH HEMOGLOBIN SS AND BLACK CONTROLS

Compared with subjects with homozygous SS disease (Hb SS), persons wit h hemoglobin SC (Hb SC) are known to have a more gradual loss of splen ic function, a lower incidence of bacterial infections, and fewer end- organ failures, We studied hematological indices and lymphocyte subpop ulations of 27 Hb SC subjects and compared them with 173 Hb SS patient s and 131 black controls. Hb SC patients had higher hemoglobin levers than Hb SS subjects, fewer total leukocyte, granulocyte, monocyte, and lymphocyte counts, Platelets decreased with age but not significantly , instead of increasing as among Hb SS patients. Mononuclear cells wer e generally similar to controls with the exception of CD8 HLA-DR count s resembling Hb SS. Hematologic changes in Hb SC are limited to modera te granulocytosis in children and adults, mild monocytosis in adults, and increased activation of just one lymphocyte subset among those mea sured. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.