This hemoglobin variant manifests in the heterozygous form (Hb AS, sickle cell trait), in the homozygous form (Hb SS, sickle cell anemia) or in combination with other hemoglobinopathies (sickle cell disease).7, 14 In Brazil, around one in every thousand newborns is born with sickle cell disease and about 200,000 with the sickle trait, every year.7 Among all the newborns with sickle cell disease, around 25% do not reach the age of five if they are not diagnosed early and treated appropriately.16, 18. This evidence concerns the gene GSTM1 and sickle cell disease.