Prevalence and Demographic Analysis of Hemoglobinopathies in Newborns: A Three-Year Study at Thumbay Teaching Hospital, Ajman-UAE

Ayman Hussein Alfeel,1 Tagwa Yousif Elsayed Yousif,2 Ammar Abdelmola,2 Praveen Kumar,1 Hussam Ali Osman,3 Rabab Hassan Elshaikh,4 Muhammad Saboor,5 Salah Omar Hussein,1 Elryah I Ali,6 Izzeldin Elbashir1,7 1Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates; 2Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Jazan University, Gizan, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Liwa College, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; 4Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, A’ Sharqiyah University, Ibra, Oman; 5Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates; 6Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Northern Border University, Arar, Saudi Arabia; 7Department of Medical Laboratory, Mila Najd Medical Complex, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Izzeldin Elbashir, Email [email protected] and Purpose: Hemoglobinopathies are hereditary blood disorders affecting hemoglobin in red blood cells. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and types of hemoglobinopathies among newborns in Thumbay Teaching Hospital, Ajman-UAE, over three years (2020– 2022), and to analyze demographic trends.Method and Population: A laboratory-based retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted, involving 6,050 newborns screened using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).Results: We consider this study and its results as a new effort in the field of hemoglobinopathy research and management in Ajman in the United Arab Emirates. The final main findings revealed different hemoglobinopathy cases. In 2020 Two cases (2) involving Hb C variant were recorded, both of African origin (from Sudan and Egypt). The third case was Hb D variant which was also of African origin (Egypt). In 2021 no case was found. In 2022, the results showed a widespread of cases; A patient from Nigeria reported having Hb C, three cases of Hb D from Pakistan, two cases of Hb E trait from people in Bangladesh and India, one case of Hb S from Malawi, five cases of Hb S trait from people in Africa (two from Kenya, one from Tanzania), and two cases from Asian people from Yemen. The total number of detected hemoglobinopathies was 15 cases, accounting for a percentage of (0.2%).Conclusion: The study reveals a diverse presence of hemoglobinopathies among newborns in Ajman and underscores the importance of newborn screening programs to facilitate early diagnosis and treatment, particularly in regions with high genetic disorder prevalence. The study revealed almost an obvious African origin of Hb C and S cases and Asian one of Hb E and D cases.Keywords: hemoglobinopathy, neonatal screening, Hb-S disease, Hb C, Hb E, Hb D, thalassemia