Hemoglobin C Disease

Updated: May 17, 2024

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Background

The typical adult hemoglobin is a hetero tetramer, comprising two pairs of globin polypeptide chains: one pair of alpha chains binding to the first chain, and another pair of non-alpha chains binding to the second chain. The chains are folded in such a way that the four hemes are precisely within the molecule that will be located and form the characteristic structure of the hemoglobin.

Firstly, there are three forms of normal adult hemoglobin whose research is done via hemoglobin analysis. These include:

Hb A (95 to 98%): one is built of two alpha and two beta chains.

Hb A2 (2% to 3%): Combining two alpha and two delta chains.

Hb F (less than 1%): contain two alphas and two gammas.

Whereas, there is a mutant form of adult hemoglobin called Hemoglobin C (Hb C) that is a common structural anomaly of hemoglobin. In Hb C, the glutamate residue is replaced by Lysine at the sixth position of the beta-globin chain in comparison with Hb A, this worsens its solubility. Hb C is present in its homozygous forms (Hb CC) or heterozygous form (Hb SC, Hb AC). The people with the gene mutation of hemoglobin C trait (Hb AC) are generally asymptomatic and are non-phenotypically abnormal. But individuals were solely experiencing mild chronic hemolysis, splenomegaly, and jaundice if they had hemoglobin C disease (Hb CC).

Although Hb C disease usually presents itself as a mild condition which is not accompanied by significant clinical manifestations, the combination of Hb C with Hb S (Hb SC) yield serious health implications.

Epidemiology

In Atlantic West Africa and Southeast Asia, in Africa, South America and Southern Europe the protective mutation which occurs in malaria, are as well common. In a retrospective study in Morocco the mean age of the diagnosed was 38 years old and the etiological groups that have heightened the prevalence included heterozygous A/C (75%), homozygous C/C (8%), double heterozygous S/C (9%), C/beta +/- Thal (6%).

Anatomy

Pathophysiology

Hemoglobin C (HbC) is a minor hemoglobin variant (Eα6K) that causes precipitation of the globin chains of this hemoglobin subunit because of glutamic acid substitution by lysine in the sixth position of the β-globin chain. Hence this leads to formation of crystals, increased blood viscosity and a shortened life of red blood cells. Different from SCD, Hb C does not cause intracellular’s polymerization during low oxygen tension and hence, the crisis of vaso-occlusion is not seen with HbC disease unless other with sickle-cell (Hb SC). Having two different hemoglobin variants (C with other hemoglobin variants) is another pattern of HbC seen in people. A double heterozigous Hb-D-Ibadan and HbC occurs in an inconsequential manner during thalassemia prenatal screening, demonstrates thalassemia-minor-like red cell indices.

Etiology

Hemoglobin C is an inheritable hemoglobinopathy characterized by a substitution of glutamate for lysine at the sixth position beta-globin chain hence making it less soluble as Hb A and forming hexagonal crystals. This disease is an autosomal recessive disorder, and it is caused by the coinherence of C allele in both paternal parent as well as maternal parent. Thus, the chance of having the disorder in a child is about 25%, and there is a chance of 50% of having a carrier and about 25% of having non carrier chromosomes. Other sickle cell and thalassemia variants like beta-thalassemia may have been an expression of evolution in the past external processes (e.g. malaria) selection. In Bandiagara, Mali, a study on residing cohort revealed the occurrence of both Hemoglobin C and Hemoglobin S traits which shielded clinical falciparum malaria. In vitro investigations have revealed that when Plasmodium falciparum, are infected by the red blood cells of hemoglobinopathies, there occurs an impairment of protein export, which decreases their adherence into the host cells.

Genetics

Prognostic Factors

A benign hemoglobinopathy called hemoglobin C can result in mild hemolytic anemia. The growth, development, and life expectancy of individuals with hemoglobin C are typically normal.

Clinical History

Age Group: Although symptomatic presentation can occur throughout life, it brings about the most problems either in early age or in old age.

Physical Examination

General Appearance: While the people with hemoglobin C disease generally appear healthy in between attacks, with no external physical symptoms of the condition, during the acute phase they may exhibit symptoms such as chest and abdominal pain. During acute hemolytic episodes, consequence jaundice or pallor may be present as indicators.

Skin: Testing for pallor (lack of color), jaundice or evidence of chronic hemolysis. Symptom examination such as chronic/recurrent leg ulcers or the picture of skin changes suggesting hemolytic disorders.

Abdomen: Splenomegaly (enlarged spleen) palpation may be caused by chronic hemolysis or splenic sequestration, therefore, looking after that is extremely important.

Age group

Associated comorbidity

The sufferers of this hemoglobin C illness may not get manifested with any complications until they pass even into their senior years. Enlarged spleen, jaundice, and chronic hemolysis are some of the comorbidities or sub-sequences associated with this condition.

Associated activity

Acuity of presentation

Hemoglobin C disease comes in different shapes and degrees in society. Many persons who have the disease are asymptomatic or have minor symptoms that are not effective, so they are able to attend their day -to-day activities.

Differential Diagnoses

  • Beta thalassemia
  • Other hemolytic anemias
  • Sickle cell anemia

Laboratory Studies

Imaging Studies

Procedures

Histologic Findings

Staging

Treatment Paradigm

Folic Acid Supplementation: Folic acid supplementation aimed at enhancing red blood cell formation and providing relief from the symptoms which arise from microcytic anemia.

Blood Transfusion Therapy: Blood transfusions especially in the cases of severe anemia or acute hemolytic crises may be necessary, as this will help in the increase the oxygen delivery and in relief from symptoms. Although the demand of transfusions will gradually increase or even be demanded throughout the year, the frequency and necessity should be carefully estimated to escape iron overload and immune response.

Hydroxyurea Therapy: Hydroxyurea, a medication used to increase fetal hemoglobin production, may be used in some cases with hemoglobin C disease to decrease the rate of red blood cell destruction and improve the individuals’ symptoms. Hydroxyurea, which has demonstrated a decrease in vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs) incidence in sickle cell disease, probably leads to similar benefits in hemoglobin C disease and the ultimate prove of its efficacy in hemoglobin C disease necessitate studies that aimed to do so.

by Stage

by Modality

Chemotherapy

Radiation Therapy

Surgical Interventions

Hormone Therapy

Immunotherapy

Hyperthermia

Photodynamic Therapy

Stem Cell Transplant

Targeted Therapy

Palliative Care

use-of-a-non-pharmacological-approach-for-treating-hemoglobin-c-disease

  • Lifestyle Modifications: Promoting a lifestyle modification that includes physical exercise as well as balanced diet plan to counter strenuous effects of chronic hemolysis and making life healthier and better for the individual. Ensuring the hydration of individuals and limiting dehydration, which is a contributing factor to worsening anemia and high risk of vaso-occlusive crisis by the promotion of its symptoms.
    Avoidance of Trigger Factors: Encouraging people to limit contact with known irritants, and take proactive measures like regular handwashing and avoiding coming near sick contacts during periods when they feel most vulnerable to infections.
    Folic Acid Supplementation: Recommending folic acid supplementation as a supportive therapy that will help solve the problem of chronic hemolysis of the red blood cell.
  • Hydration and Nutrition: Promoting sufficient hydration and food intake to sustain a happy hydration state and your overall health. Offering dietary counseling to ensure balanced diet which should be rich in iron, vitamins and minerals as well as other elements needed for red blood cell production and avoidance of nutrient deficiencies.
    Stress Management: Teaching stress reduction techniques like mindfulness meditation; deep breathing exercises; and relaxation techniques, to enable patients manage emotional stress and possibly inhibit hemolytic crisis aggravations.

Role of Folic acid in the treatment of Hemoglobin C Disease

Folic acid is the important element during the treatment of Hemoglobin C Disease as well as prevents chronological intravascular hemolysis. Folic acid is one of the most important nutrients that ensure the production of DNA and RNA in the body as well as develop the red blood cells in the bone marrow. With the presence of Hemoglobin C Disease, people are prone to chronic hemolysis which leads the red blood cell turnover to take place at a high rate, thus, increasing the demand for folate to successfully carry out erythropoiesis function.

Enrolling mothers as for folic acid supplements ensures that there is enough folate for red blood cell multiplication which is vital to prevent folate deficiency anemia and an overall proper hemato-logic state.

use-of-intervention-with-a-procedure-in-treating-hemoglobin-c-disease

In the case of Hemoglobin C Disease Patients within symptomatic splenomegaly or recurrent splenic sequestration crises may receive splenectomy as a treatment. During these procedures, part or all of the spleen is removed to help reduce the number of extravagant red blood cell destruction (hemolysis) and alleviate the symptoms such as anemia and jaundice. Splenectomy may prevent sequestration crisis and hence their reoccurrence. Nevertheless, it is also associated with the risk of infections especially from Streptococcus pneumoniae strain commonly observed, hence the need for vaccination is usually recommended. The surgical decision should be patient-centered and made based on individual symptom presentation, risk factors and patient preferences with close patient monitoring and checkup afterwards.

use-of-phases-in-managing-hemoglobin-c-disease

Hemoglobin C Deficiency is a complex health issue that involves exploring a patient’s history, performing a full body test, and utilizing genetic testing.

As the initial step, the patient will undergo the clinical exam, laboratory testing and the diagnosis making procedures for the evaluation and confirmation of the disease. Educating and counselling the person and their family about the disease, inheritance patterns, and possible complications are all a part of this process.

The primary objective of the treatment is to provide relief for patients from chronic hemolysis accompanied by decreasing total blood volume, splenomegaly and jaundice. Treating preventive measures as the prophylaxis of encapsulated bacteria and vaccination against capsulate bacteria might ultimately reduce the mortality rate.

Chronic monitoring and evaluation are needed for the doctors to track the disease progress and the response to the treatment being given. The main aim of treatment optimization is to modify treatment plans by considering the response of the body to treatments, disease severity and other parameters in healthcare that help meet patient’s needs.

Along with the DNA sequencing, the counselling and family planning sessions are offered where the topic of inheritance patterns, reproductive options, and the risk of transmitting the disease to offspring is discussed. Prenatal screening and counseling are provided to individuals interested in pregnancy find out which ones are carrying the gene and hence at a higher risk of giving birth to a child with the disease.

Medication

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Hemoglobin C Disease

Updated : May 17, 2024

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The typical adult hemoglobin is a hetero tetramer, comprising two pairs of globin polypeptide chains: one pair of alpha chains binding to the first chain, and another pair of non-alpha chains binding to the second chain. The chains are folded in such a way that the four hemes are precisely within the molecule that will be located and form the characteristic structure of the hemoglobin.

Firstly, there are three forms of normal adult hemoglobin whose research is done via hemoglobin analysis. These include:

Hb A (95 to 98%): one is built of two alpha and two beta chains.

Hb A2 (2% to 3%): Combining two alpha and two delta chains.

Hb F (less than 1%): contain two alphas and two gammas.

Whereas, there is a mutant form of adult hemoglobin called Hemoglobin C (Hb C) that is a common structural anomaly of hemoglobin. In Hb C, the glutamate residue is replaced by Lysine at the sixth position of the beta-globin chain in comparison with Hb A, this worsens its solubility. Hb C is present in its homozygous forms (Hb CC) or heterozygous form (Hb SC, Hb AC). The people with the gene mutation of hemoglobin C trait (Hb AC) are generally asymptomatic and are non-phenotypically abnormal. But individuals were solely experiencing mild chronic hemolysis, splenomegaly, and jaundice if they had hemoglobin C disease (Hb CC).

Although Hb C disease usually presents itself as a mild condition which is not accompanied by significant clinical manifestations, the combination of Hb C with Hb S (Hb SC) yield serious health implications.

In Atlantic West Africa and Southeast Asia, in Africa, South America and Southern Europe the protective mutation which occurs in malaria, are as well common. In a retrospective study in Morocco the mean age of the diagnosed was 38 years old and the etiological groups that have heightened the prevalence included heterozygous A/C (75%), homozygous C/C (8%), double heterozygous S/C (9%), C/beta +/- Thal (6%).

Hemoglobin C (HbC) is a minor hemoglobin variant (Eα6K) that causes precipitation of the globin chains of this hemoglobin subunit because of glutamic acid substitution by lysine in the sixth position of the β-globin chain. Hence this leads to formation of crystals, increased blood viscosity and a shortened life of red blood cells. Different from SCD, Hb C does not cause intracellular’s polymerization during low oxygen tension and hence, the crisis of vaso-occlusion is not seen with HbC disease unless other with sickle-cell (Hb SC). Having two different hemoglobin variants (C with other hemoglobin variants) is another pattern of HbC seen in people. A double heterozigous Hb-D-Ibadan and HbC occurs in an inconsequential manner during thalassemia prenatal screening, demonstrates thalassemia-minor-like red cell indices.

Hemoglobin C is an inheritable hemoglobinopathy characterized by a substitution of glutamate for lysine at the sixth position beta-globin chain hence making it less soluble as Hb A and forming hexagonal crystals. This disease is an autosomal recessive disorder, and it is caused by the coinherence of C allele in both paternal parent as well as maternal parent. Thus, the chance of having the disorder in a child is about 25%, and there is a chance of 50% of having a carrier and about 25% of having non carrier chromosomes. Other sickle cell and thalassemia variants like beta-thalassemia may have been an expression of evolution in the past external processes (e.g. malaria) selection. In Bandiagara, Mali, a study on residing cohort revealed the occurrence of both Hemoglobin C and Hemoglobin S traits which shielded clinical falciparum malaria. In vitro investigations have revealed that when Plasmodium falciparum, are infected by the red blood cells of hemoglobinopathies, there occurs an impairment of protein export, which decreases their adherence into the host cells.

A benign hemoglobinopathy called hemoglobin C can result in mild hemolytic anemia. The growth, development, and life expectancy of individuals with hemoglobin C are typically normal.

Age Group: Although symptomatic presentation can occur throughout life, it brings about the most problems either in early age or in old age.

General Appearance: While the people with hemoglobin C disease generally appear healthy in between attacks, with no external physical symptoms of the condition, during the acute phase they may exhibit symptoms such as chest and abdominal pain. During acute hemolytic episodes, consequence jaundice or pallor may be present as indicators.

Skin: Testing for pallor (lack of color), jaundice or evidence of chronic hemolysis. Symptom examination such as chronic/recurrent leg ulcers or the picture of skin changes suggesting hemolytic disorders.

Abdomen: Splenomegaly (enlarged spleen) palpation may be caused by chronic hemolysis or splenic sequestration, therefore, looking after that is extremely important.

The sufferers of this hemoglobin C illness may not get manifested with any complications until they pass even into their senior years. Enlarged spleen, jaundice, and chronic hemolysis are some of the comorbidities or sub-sequences associated with this condition.

Hemoglobin C disease comes in different shapes and degrees in society. Many persons who have the disease are asymptomatic or have minor symptoms that are not effective, so they are able to attend their day -to-day activities.

  • Beta thalassemia
  • Other hemolytic anemias
  • Sickle cell anemia

Folic Acid Supplementation: Folic acid supplementation aimed at enhancing red blood cell formation and providing relief from the symptoms which arise from microcytic anemia.

Blood Transfusion Therapy: Blood transfusions especially in the cases of severe anemia or acute hemolytic crises may be necessary, as this will help in the increase the oxygen delivery and in relief from symptoms. Although the demand of transfusions will gradually increase or even be demanded throughout the year, the frequency and necessity should be carefully estimated to escape iron overload and immune response.

Hydroxyurea Therapy: Hydroxyurea, a medication used to increase fetal hemoglobin production, may be used in some cases with hemoglobin C disease to decrease the rate of red blood cell destruction and improve the individuals’ symptoms. Hydroxyurea, which has demonstrated a decrease in vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs) incidence in sickle cell disease, probably leads to similar benefits in hemoglobin C disease and the ultimate prove of its efficacy in hemoglobin C disease necessitate studies that aimed to do so.

Hematology

  • Lifestyle Modifications: Promoting a lifestyle modification that includes physical exercise as well as balanced diet plan to counter strenuous effects of chronic hemolysis and making life healthier and better for the individual. Ensuring the hydration of individuals and limiting dehydration, which is a contributing factor to worsening anemia and high risk of vaso-occlusive crisis by the promotion of its symptoms.
    Avoidance of Trigger Factors: Encouraging people to limit contact with known irritants, and take proactive measures like regular handwashing and avoiding coming near sick contacts during periods when they feel most vulnerable to infections.
    Folic Acid Supplementation: Recommending folic acid supplementation as a supportive therapy that will help solve the problem of chronic hemolysis of the red blood cell.
  • Hydration and Nutrition: Promoting sufficient hydration and food intake to sustain a happy hydration state and your overall health. Offering dietary counseling to ensure balanced diet which should be rich in iron, vitamins and minerals as well as other elements needed for red blood cell production and avoidance of nutrient deficiencies.
    Stress Management: Teaching stress reduction techniques like mindfulness meditation; deep breathing exercises; and relaxation techniques, to enable patients manage emotional stress and possibly inhibit hemolytic crisis aggravations.

Hematology

Folic acid is the important element during the treatment of Hemoglobin C Disease as well as prevents chronological intravascular hemolysis. Folic acid is one of the most important nutrients that ensure the production of DNA and RNA in the body as well as develop the red blood cells in the bone marrow. With the presence of Hemoglobin C Disease, people are prone to chronic hemolysis which leads the red blood cell turnover to take place at a high rate, thus, increasing the demand for folate to successfully carry out erythropoiesis function.

Enrolling mothers as for folic acid supplements ensures that there is enough folate for red blood cell multiplication which is vital to prevent folate deficiency anemia and an overall proper hemato-logic state.

Hematology

In the case of Hemoglobin C Disease Patients within symptomatic splenomegaly or recurrent splenic sequestration crises may receive splenectomy as a treatment. During these procedures, part or all of the spleen is removed to help reduce the number of extravagant red blood cell destruction (hemolysis) and alleviate the symptoms such as anemia and jaundice. Splenectomy may prevent sequestration crisis and hence their reoccurrence. Nevertheless, it is also associated with the risk of infections especially from Streptococcus pneumoniae strain commonly observed, hence the need for vaccination is usually recommended. The surgical decision should be patient-centered and made based on individual symptom presentation, risk factors and patient preferences with close patient monitoring and checkup afterwards.

Hematology

Hemoglobin C Deficiency is a complex health issue that involves exploring a patient’s history, performing a full body test, and utilizing genetic testing.

As the initial step, the patient will undergo the clinical exam, laboratory testing and the diagnosis making procedures for the evaluation and confirmation of the disease. Educating and counselling the person and their family about the disease, inheritance patterns, and possible complications are all a part of this process.

The primary objective of the treatment is to provide relief for patients from chronic hemolysis accompanied by decreasing total blood volume, splenomegaly and jaundice. Treating preventive measures as the prophylaxis of encapsulated bacteria and vaccination against capsulate bacteria might ultimately reduce the mortality rate.

Chronic monitoring and evaluation are needed for the doctors to track the disease progress and the response to the treatment being given. The main aim of treatment optimization is to modify treatment plans by considering the response of the body to treatments, disease severity and other parameters in healthcare that help meet patient’s needs.

Along with the DNA sequencing, the counselling and family planning sessions are offered where the topic of inheritance patterns, reproductive options, and the risk of transmitting the disease to offspring is discussed. Prenatal screening and counseling are provided to individuals interested in pregnancy find out which ones are carrying the gene and hence at a higher risk of giving birth to a child with the disease.

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