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Hemoglobin (HGB)

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EPIC Test Name

HEMOGLOBIN

EPIC Code

LAB291

Specimen Requirements

Whole Blood
Minimum Volume:2 mL
Collection:Collect using standard laboratory procedures
Transport:Room temperature, ASAP.
Stability:Room temperature: 24 hours. Refrigerated: 24-36 hours 2-8 degrees C.
Container:Lavender top (EDTA)
Rejection Causes:Clotted
Insufficent Sample Volume

Methods

Spectrophotometry

Turnaround Time

SpecimenTurnaround TimeFrequency
Whole BloodStat : 90 minutes Routine: 4 hours24/7

Reference Ranges

Spectrophotometry
AgeMale RangeFemale RangeUnit
0 days up to 14 days13.5-21.513.5-21.5g/dL
14 days up to 29 days12.5-20.512.5-20.5
29 day up to 2 months10 - 1810-18
2 months up to 3 months9 - 149-14
3 months up to 6 months9.5-13.59.5-13.5
6 months up to 2 years10.5-13.510.5-13.5
2 years up to 6 years11.5-13.5
6 years up to 12 years11.5-15.5
12 years up to 18 years13-17
2 years up to 6 years11.5-13.5
6 years up to 999 years11.5-15.5
18 years up to 999 years13.5-18

Clinical Indications

Hemoglobin (Hb) consists of four subunits, 2 α-subunits and 2 non α-subunits (β-, γ-, or δ), whose primary function is to transport oxygen from the lungs to the body tissue, and CO2 from the prepheral tissues to the lungs. Each subunit has a binding site for heme with a Fe atom in the divalent state, whether Hb is oxygenated or deoxygenated.
In healthy human adults, Hb A (α2β2) accounts about 96% of the total Hb in the whole blood, Hb A2 (α2δ2) is approximately 2.5% - 3.0% of total Hb; HbA2′, a variant of Hb A2, with a glycine-to-arginine substitution on the 16th position of the δ-chain, accounting 1%-2% of African Americans. Fetal Hb (Hb F) (α2γ2) is < 1% of total Hb.
Hb concentration measurement is used for diagnosis of anemia, often together with other hematological tests, e.g., erythrocyte count, or hematocrit.

Performed

Lab
Hematology - Community
Hematology - Downtown
Verona Cancer Center

Interpretative Information

• For patients with hemoglobin levels below or lower than the reference interval, anemia can be diagnostic. The causes of anemia should be investigated and may include, though not limited to: deficiency of Iron, Vitamin B12 or/and Folate, bleeding, leukemia, kidney or/and liver disease, hypothyroidism, thalassemia.
• For patients with hemoglobin levels higher than the reference range, its causes may include: polycythemia vera, lung disease (COPD associated with secondary polycythemia), dehydration, living at a high altitude, heavy smoking, burns, excessive vomiting, and extreme physical work-out.

CPT

85018

LOINC

718-7

References

1. Domenica Cappellini M, Lo SF, Swinkels DW. Hemoglobin, Iron, Bilirubin. In Tietz Textbook of Clinical Chemistry. Edited by N Rifai, AR Norwath and C Wittwer, 6 ed. St. Louis, Missouri, Elsevirer Inc, 2018, pp 719-42. ISBN: 978-0-323-35921-4

Contact Information

Hematology - Downtown: (315)464-4460
Hematology - Community: (315)492-5531
Verona Cancer Center: (315)473-3859
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