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Hemoglobin C disease

Definition:

Hemoglobin C disease is a blood disorder passed down through families. It leads to a type of anemia, which causes red blood cells to break down earlier than normal.

Alternative Names:

Clinical hemoglobin C

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Hemoglobin C is a problem with hemoglobin, the part of red blood cells that carry oxygen. It is a type of hemoglobinopathy . The disease is caused by problem with a gene called beta globin.

The disease most often occurs in African Americans. You are more likely to develop hemoglobin C disease if someone in your family has had it.

References:

Goldman L, Ausiello D. Cecil Textbook of Medicine . 22nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders; 2004.

Noble J. Textbook of Primary Care Medicine . 3rd ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2001.

Blood cells

Review Date: 4/1/2007
Reviewed By: Mark Levin, MD, Hematologist and Oncologist, Newark, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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