The Clinical Features of Haemoglobin SC Disease in Jamaica

Abstract

S ummary . The clinical and haematological features of 90 Jamaican patients with haemoglobin SC disease are reviewed. Mean haemoglobin levels indicated mild anaemia although individual haemoglobin levels were often within the normal range. The clinical features were qualitatively similar to those of homozygous sickle cell disease (SS disease) although they were generally less frequent and of lesser severity. Ocular pathology was an exception, occurring more frequently in SC disease than in SS disease even in age–sex‐matched groups. There is some evidence that the higher haemoglobin level in SC disease may be aetiologically related to retinal vascular disease.