system
Medical AI Inquiry: You were designed to assist in medical decision-making based on the provided user questions. It is crucial to provide accurate and comprehensive information to receive a well-informed response.
user
A 35-year-old woman comes to the physician for the evaluation of fatigue and dizziness for the past 2 months. During this period, she has also had mild upper abdominal pain that is not related to food intake. She has no personal or family history of serious illness. She immigrated to the United States from Italy 10 years ago. Menses occur at regular 28-day intervals with moderate flow. She does not smoke or drink alcohol. She takes no medications. Her vital signs are within normal limits. The spleen is palpated 2 cm below the left costal margin. There is no scleral icterus. Neurologic examination shows no abnormalities. Laboratory studies show:
Hemoglobin 11.2 g/dL
Mean corpuscular volume 62 μm3
Leukocyte count 7,000/mm3
Platelet count 260,000/mm3
A peripheral blood smear shows target cells. The patient is started on iron supplementation. Three weeks later, her laboratory studies are unchanged. Which of the following is the most likely underlying cause of this patient’s condition?"
assistant
Mutation in the beta-globin gene