Study of prevalence of haemoglobin subtypes/variants in the ethnic population of Manipur

This present study was undertaken to see the prevalence of haemoglobin (Hb) variants in the ethnic population of Manipur. An estimated 7% of the world population carries an abnormal haemoglobin gene, resulting in various haemoglobin subtypes. Inherited abnormalities of haemoglobin synthesis include a spectrum of disorders ranging from thalassemia syndromes to structurally abnormal haemoglobin variants. A total of 2840 subjects were studied in Manipur of whom 1313 (0.46%) had haemoglobinopathies. The plethora of Hb variants ranged from haemoglobin E (HbE) (66.4%), β thalassemia carrier/homozygous β0/β+ (28.2%), heterogeneous d/β thalassemia (3.2%), β thalassemia carrier (1.9%) and Hereditary Persistence of Fetal Haemoglobin (HPFH) heterozygous (0.3%). The Meitei population accounted for 730 cases (0.55%) of haemoglobinopathies, followed by the Naga tribe with 306 cases (0.23%), Kuki with 214 cases (0.16%) and others with 63 (0.04%) cases. Females were observed to have a higher propensity than males.