background: sickle cell disease is a genetic disorder of hemoglobin causing myriad of pathology including anemia. the purpose of this study was to evaluate the baseline values of steady state hemoglobin and packed cell volume as a guide to managing the early recognition of hemolytic crises in sickle cell anemia. methods: a cross-sectional study was conducted among the sickle cell patients atten...

a simple, rapid new technique is described for the electrophoresis of hemo­globin when screening large human populations. the method uses a drop of finger tip's blood dried on a thick filter paper as the specimen. the simplicity of the sampling, tagging, transportation and electrophoresis, provides a reliable procedure for surveys of large population. in our hand 200 specimens were screened dur...

I read with special interest the Perspective article by Drs Beutler and Waalen1 about the definition of anemia. The authors refer to some variables, such as the sex, age, and race of the individuals, that may influence their levels of hemoglobin in normal conditions. In the final part of their paper, they suggest lower normal levels of hemoglobin for adults, according to their age, sex, and rac...

HbA(1c) was discovered in the late 1960s and its use as marker of glycemic control has gradually increased over the course of the last four decades. Recognized as the gold standard of diabetic survey, this parameter was successfully implemented in clinical practice in the 1970s and 1980s and internationally standardized in the 1990s and 2000s. The use of standardized and well-controlled methods...

Measurement of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) is considered the gold standard for monitoring chronic glycemia of diabetes patients. Hemoglobin A1c indicates an average of blood glucose levels over the past 3 months. Its close association with the risk for the development of long-term complications is well established. However, HbA1c does not inform patients about blood glucose values on a daily basis; ...

Macromolecules such as hemoglobin exert both kinetic and matrix effects on osmotic pressure. The kinetic osmotic pressure of sickle-cell hemoglobin is lost upon deoxygenation at physiological erythrocyte concentrations. The non-kinetic or matrix component of osmotic pressure remains relatively unchanged. Loss of thermal-osmotic activity during deoxygenation occurs throughout a hemoglobin concen...

Severe anemia in children is a leading indication for blood transfusion worldwide. Severe anemia, defined by the World Health Organization as a hemoglobin level <5 g/dL, is particularly common throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Analysis of data from the Fluid Expansion as Supportive Therapy (FEAST) trial offers new insights into the importance of blood transfusion for children with severe anemia. T...