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Updated: Mar 21, 2026
A Precision Medicine Tool for Measurement and Monitoring of Hemoglobin S in Sickle Cell Disease Patients Receiving Transfusion Therapy
Method-dependent Discrepancies in Fetal Hemoglobin Quantification in Patients With Hemoglobin S
Susan E Creary1, Amy L Pyle-Eilola, Elizabeth Varga
1*Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/BMT †Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital ‡Department of Pathology, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH §The Permanente Medical Group Regional Laboratories, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Berkeley, CA ∥Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, St Paul's Hospital ¶Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Accurate hemoglobin F (HbF) quantification is crucial for sickle cell disease treatment. This study found discrepancies between high-performance liquid chromatography and capillary zone electrophoresis methods when hemoglobin S is present.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Clinical Chemistry
Background:
- Hemoglobin F (HbF) concentration is vital for diagnosing hemoglobinopathies.
- Accurate HbF quantification is essential for managing sickle cell disease (SCD).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate discrepancies in HbF quantification between common laboratory methods.
- To assess the impact of hemoglobin S presence on HbF measurement accuracy.
Main Methods:
- Comparison of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) for HbF quantification.
- Analysis of samples containing varying levels of hemoglobin S.
Main Results:
- Significant discrepancies were observed in HbF quantification between HPLC and CZE when hemoglobin S was present.
- The presence of hemoglobin S impacts the accuracy of HbF measurements depending on the method used.
Conclusions:
- Clinicians and researchers must be aware of method-specific biases in HbF quantification.
- Method selection for HbF measurement is critical for accurate patient evaluation and treatment in sickle cell disease.
