Frequency of beta S globin gene haplotypes among sickle cell patients in Nigeria.

Objective: To determine the frequency of beta s globin gene haplotypes in Nigerian patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) and to measure their correlation with clinical and haematological characteristics.

Methods: This study enrolled patients with SCD and collected their peripheral blood for restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis in order to identify five polymorphic sites in the β-globin gene cluster.

Results: A total of 245 homozygous SCD patients (490 alleles) were included in the study.