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Updated: Sep 21, 2025

Measuring Erythrocyte Complement Receptor 1 Using Flow Cytometry
Published on: May 19, 2020
Measurement of erythrocyte creatine might be useful for diagnosing latent hemolysis
Hiroko Ijima1, Kazuyuki Hiratani2, Hideaki Jinnnouchi3
1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Jinnouchi Hospital, Kumamoto, Japan.
Objectives:
Whereas HbA1c values are low relative to glycemia in patients with hemolytic anemia, including compensatory anemia, low HbA1c levels along with negative results for conventional hemolysis indicators have been reported in patients with latent hemolysis. Conversely, glycated albumin (GA) is a glycemic control indicator unaffected by hemolysis. Erythrocyte creatine (EC) is a hemolysis indicator that reflects the mean age of red blood cells (MRBC). We recently reported a formula for obtaining MRBC based on EC. The present study examined the usefulness of EC measurements and MRBC calculated with EC for diagnosing latent hemolysis.
Materials And Methods:
Two patients with latent hemolysis and low HbA1c values relative to glycemia were investigated, while controls comprised 214 patients (including patients with hemolysis and/or type 2 diabetes mellitus). HbA1c was expressed in International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC) units (iA1c). GA/iA1c ratios, reticulocyte counts, EC, and MRBC in patients with latent hemolysis were compared to non-hemolysis, compensatory hemolysis, and hemolytic anemia patients.
Results:
Both reticulocyte counts and haptoglobin levels were within reference ranges in patients with latent hemolysis. GA/iA1c ratios and EC were higher than reference values in patients with latent hemolysis, and MRBC values were 41.6 and 48.4 days, respectively, shorter than the reference range (49.1-66.8 days).
Conclusions:
EC measurement and MRBC values calculated on the basis of EC might be useful for diagnosing latent hemolysis.
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