All of the following can distinguish b-thalassemia minor from ...

[Evvie72]

All of the following can distinguish b-thalassemia minor from major except:
 
  a. Clinical findings
  b. Hemoglobin concentration
  c. Presence of microcytosis, hypochromasia, and target cells
  d. Presence of Hb A

Question 2

A patient has 30 Hb F. Which of the following can be eliminated?
 
  a. Four missing genes for a chain production
  b. Heterozygous hereditary persistence of Hb F
  c. Thalassemia intermedia
  d. The patient is a normal 1-month-old infant

[Briannahope]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: C
Microcytes, hypochromasia, and target cells are found in both b-thalassemia major and minor, so these findings do not distinguish one from the other. All the other findings listed vary significantly between the two types of b-thalassemia.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: A
a Chains are required for Hb F synthesis; therefore if all four genes for a chain synthesis are missing, then no Hb F can be produced. Thirty percent Hb F can be seen in all the other situations listed.