Haemoglobin Electrophoresis Pattern among the Children Attending Paediatrics Department of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), Sokoto, North-Western Nigeria

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the Haemoglobin Electrophoresis pattern among the children attending Paediatrics Department of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), Sokoto, North-Western of Nigeria.

Materials and Methods: A total of three hundred and Ninety-five (395) children aged 0-15 years were recruited for this study. About 3 milliliter of blood was collected into the K2EDTA container. The haemoglobin electrophoresis was carried-out at alkaline pH (8.6) using the method described by Helena Biosciences procedure.

Results: The present study recorded the prevalence of HbAA, HbAS, HbSS, HbAF, HbSS+F, HbAC and HbSC to be 70.0, 15.2, 5.0, 0.3, 6.0%, 2.0, and 1.5% respectively with a prevalence of 11% sickle cell anaemia among the study subjects.

Conclusions: HbAA is the predominant haemoglobin in our environment, there is also a significant number of other haemoglobin variants. Many children with other haemoglobin variants are surviving to adulthood due to advances in medicine, a larger number of pregnant women with sickle cell disease with all the attendant challenges, it should be expected in our environment. It is necessary therefore, to keep abreast with developments in the area of its management in order to cope with the challenges.