American journal of clinical pathology
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Am. J. Clin. Pathol. · Jun 2002
Flow cytometric measurement of hemoglobin F in RBCs: diagnostic usefulness in the distinction of hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin (HPFH) and hemoglobin S-hPFH from other conditions with elevated levels of hemoglobin F.
The cellular distribution of hemoglobin F is important for evaluating persistently elevated hemoglobin F levels, such as in hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin (HPFH) or delta/beta-thalassemia, and for differentiating homozygous hemoglobin S (or hemoglobin S-beta(0)-thalassemia) from hemoglobin S-HPFH, traditionally done by using the Kleihauer-Betke (K-B) acid elution test. We evaluated a flow cytometric method using an anti-hemoglobin F antibody as a replacement for the K-B test. ⋯ Most cases of hemoglobin S-HPFH gave a homocellular distribution of hemoglobin F whereas all cases of homozygous hemoglobin S with elevated hemoglobin F levels gave a heterocellular pattern. Flow cytometry provides a more rapid and objective method for assessing cellular distribution of hemoglobin F and is useful for patient evaluation when HPFH trait, delta/beta-thalassemia trait, or hemoglobin S-HPFH trait is suspected.