Objective: To improve the accuracy and the diagnostic rate of gene diagnosis and prenatal gene diagnosis for hemophilia A (HA) families.
Methods: Linkage analysis was performed by using St14(DXS52) VNTR polymorphism and intron 13 (CA)n repeat polymorphism of the factor VIII gene among HA families for indirect diagnosis.
Results: The diagnostic rates using linkage analysis based upon one of the above mentioned two polymorphic loci among 9 HA families were 66.7% and 66.7%, respectively. The diagnostic rate rose to 88.9% by using a combination of the two polymorphic loci. Prenatal gene diagnoses were performed for 4 HA families. A wrong prenatal diagnosis which may happen when linkage analysis was performed by using only St14 VNTR was monitored.
Conclusion: The rapid and accurate gene diagnosis and prenatal gene diagnosis could be performed by a combination of the two polymorphic loci for about 90% HA families.