What is hemoglobin electrophoresis?

Hemoglobin is a protein in your purple blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your system. There are quite a few various varieties of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin electrophoresis is a exam that measures the various varieties of hemoglobin in the blood. It also appears to be for abnormal varieties of hemoglobin.

Standard varieties of hemoglobin include things like:

  • Hemoglobin (Hgb) A, the most prevalent variety of hemoglobin in healthful grown ups
  • Hemoglobin (Hgb) F, fetal hemoglobin. This variety of hemoglobin is found in unborn infants and newborns. HgbF is changed by HgbA soon just after beginning.

If concentrations of HgbA or HgbF are too higher or too very low, it can suggest particular varieties of anemia.

Abnormal varieties of hemoglobin include things like:

  • Hemoglobin (Hgb) S. This variety of hemoglobin is found in sickle cell ailment. Sickle cell ailment is an inherited disorder that triggers the system to make rigid, sickle-formed purple blood cells. Balanced purple blood cells are flexible so they can move simply by way of blood vessels. Sickle cells can get stuck in the blood vessels, producing extreme and continual ache, infections, and other issues.
  • Hemoglobin (Hgb) C. This variety of hemoglobin does not carry oxygen effectively. It can trigger a moderate kind of anemia.
  • Hemoglobin (Hgb) E. This variety of hemoglobin is primarily found in people of Southeast Asian descent. Men and women with HgbE commonly have no signs and symptoms or moderate signs and symptoms of anemia.

A hemoglobin electrophoresis exam applies an electric present to a blood sample. This separates ordinary and abnormal varieties of hemoglobin. Each variety of hemoglobin can then be measured separately.

Other names: Hb electrophoresis, hemoglobin analysis, hemoglobinopathy analysis, hemoglobin fractionation, Hb ELP, sickle cell display screen