Hemoglobin Structure in Thalassemia and the Effect of Splenoctomy

This study was conducted to 81 patients suffering from thalassemia, the aim of the work was to evaluate the role of the properties of the heme atom in the hemoglobin molecule and to what extend thalassemia may alter the normal magnetic behavior of it. Patients were divided into 2 groups: heterozy¬gous, homozygous which was subdivided into two subgroups (splenoctomic and non-splenoctomic patients) and the normal control group. Results showed that the blood count of these patients was almost near to the normal in the heterozygous, non-splenoctomic patients showed higher levels of non¬functional hemoglobin derivatives. Magnetic properties of heme as measured in magnetic susceptibility, auto-oxidation rate and also results obtained from the absorption spectra of hemoglobin verify that heme atom in both homozygous groups were elevated. Non-splenoctomic patients showed the highest level hence its heme atoms shifted to the paramagnetic region in which heme cannot carry out its normal function and has a low affinity of both oxygen and globin.