Alhazidou E, Androulaki M, Panagiotopoulos M, Boudouvas D, Lampropoulou D, Yfanti E, Delaki EE, Repa K, Petrakos G. Fetal heterozygosity for both Hb G-Hsi-Tsou and beta thalassemia: A case report.
Case Rep Womens Health 2020;
28:e00265. [PMID:
33163367 PMCID:
PMC7607242 DOI:
10.1016/j.crwh.2020.e00265]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction
This case report describes a fetus with compound heterozygosity for Hb G-Hsi-Tsou and beta thalassemia, diagnosed in a healthy pregnancy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first documented case of compound heterozygosity and the woman is the second known case of heterozygosity for Hb G-Hsi-Tsou.
Case presentation
A 34-year-old woman during her first pregnancy underwent hemoglobin electrophoresis which revealed heterozygosity for Hb G-Hsi-Tsou. Hemoglobin G-Hsi-Tsou constitutes a hemoglobin variant with a structural abnormality of the beta chain, first described in 1972, but since then no other cases have been reported. After finding out that her husband was heterozygous for beta thalassemia, chorionic villus sampling revealed the embryo's heterozygosity for both Hb G-Hsi-Tsou and beta thalassemia. Due to lack of scientific data, the couple decided to end the pregnancy.
Conclusion
It was not possible to determine whether the fetus would present serious deficiencies in hematopoiesis, as Hb G-Hsi-Tsou is a variant which is not yet fully understood. What made this case even more complex was the simultaneous presence of the beta thalassemia allele.
Electrophoresis can be used to reveal heterozygosity for Hb G-Hsi-Tsou.
Chorionic villus sampling was performed in the case described, revealing heterozygosity for both Hb G-Hsi-Tsou and beta thalassemia.
Hb G-Hsi-Tsou occurs due to a substitution of aspartic acid for glycine at position 79, creating an anomalous βT9 peptide.
It was not possible to determine whether the fetus would present serious deficiencies in hematopoiesis.
Collapse