Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 9, 2026
11:59
Detection of Residual Donor Erythroid Progenitor Cells after Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Patients with Hemoglobinopathies
Published on: September 6, 2017
A "One-Stop" Screening Protocol for Haemoglobinopathy Traits and Iron Deficiency in Sri Lanka
Angela Allen1,2, Shiromi Perera3, Luxman Perera3
1MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences
|August 27, 2019
Summary
A new "one stop" screening approach effectively identifies carriers of haemoglobinopathy traits and iron deficiency in Southeast Asia. This affordable method improves upon current screening practices for these common blood disorders.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Public Health
- Clinical Diagnostics
Background:
- Southeast Asia has a high prevalence of carriers of severe haemoglobinopathies and iron deficiency.
- Current screening methods for these conditions require improvement in reliability and affordability.
- Accurate screening is crucial for effective management and prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate a "one stop" screening approach for detecting and differentiating HbE and β-thalassaemia traits from iron deficiency.
- To compare the efficacy of the THALCON dichlorophenolindophenol (DCIP) and one-tube osmotic fragility (OF) tests, along with Zinc Protoporphyrin (ZPP) measurement, against current Sri Lankan screening practices.
- To assess the feasibility of this approach in resource-limited settings.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional survey of 1,324 secondary school students in Sri Lanka.
- Comparison of THALCON-DCIP and OF tests against capillary electrophoresis (CE) as the gold standard for haemoglobinopathies.
- Measurement of Zinc Protoporphyrin (ZPP), plasma ferritin, and C-reactive protein (CRP) to assess iron deficiency.
Main Results:
- The THALCON-DCIP test demonstrated 100% sensitivity and specificity for HbE trait.
- The THALCON-OF test achieved 100% sensitivity for β-thalassaemia trait but had a specificity of 77.9% for normal genotypes.
- Iron deficiency was identified in 9.5% of students with normal hemoglobin genotypes, confirmed by low ferritin levels.
Conclusions:
- The "one stop" approach provides reliable and affordable population screening for haemoglobinopathy traits and iron deficiency in resource-limited areas.
- This method enables targeted iron supplementation, ensuring it reaches only those in need.
- Further refinement of the OF test is recommended to reduce false positive results.
