Expression of major hemoglobin haplotypes in the first twenty four months of life suggests a gradual decline of normal hemoglobin A among infants of African descent

Introduction: Hemoglobin is the principal protein in red blood cells and is responsible for delivering oxygen from the lungs to other body parts. Understanding the hemoglobin type profile of infants and the patterns of expression in the first twenty-four months of life is a significant area of research that can provide crucial insights into infant health and development. Material and Methods: The study population consisted of 147 infants (male and female) aged 9 to 24 months. Participants were recruited from the pediatric and sickle cell clinics and the medical laboratory department of Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH) in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The hemoglobin type was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) (D-10, Bio-Rad). Results: The median (range) values of the hemoglobin types were: HbA 70% (22-98), HbF 10% (0-50), HbS 0% (0-78)and A2 CE 0% (0-50). Hemoglobin A expression was 65% at nine months, 79% at 12.5 months, 46% at 22 and 60% at 24 months. HbF expression was 21% at nine months, 10% at 12 months, 24% at 15.5 months, 0.25% at 21 months, and 12% at 24 months. HbS was 0.8% at nine months and 0% at 16 months. 50% at 22 months and lastly 22% at 24 months. The HbA2 was 0.5% at nine months and 12% at 11 months, 0% at 21 months and lastly 0.2% at 24 months. HbA, HbF, and HbA2 were negatively correlated with age, while HbS was positively correlated with age. Conclusion: The pattern of expression of the four hemoglobin types in this study was age-dependent. Sex was not found to influence the expression of hemoglobin types in infants. There is a gradual reduction in the expression of normal hemoglobin A and a gradual increase in abnormal hemoglobin S among infants of African descent.