High erythrocyte distribution values and possibilities of hemoglobinopathies

Patients with hemoglobinopathies were observed to have high erythrocyte distribution widths. In a representative study of 800 patients, 31% of patients with high erythrocyte distribution widths were observed to have hemoglobinopathies by hemoglobin electrophoresis. The potential of erythrocyte distribution width as a means of incidental detection of hemoglobinopathies is discussed.