Sickle Cell Anemia: Hemoglobin Electrophoresis

00:00 Quickly walk through trait and disease. Let's set this out for you.

00:06 This is still hemoglobin electrophoresis. On top, well, take a look at the following.

00:12 What is normal hemoglobin A? A whopping 97%. It's dropped down to 52%.

00:18 But you still have hemoglobin A. Take a look at hemoglobin S. It's at 45%.

00:24 So you tell me, which type of sickle pattern? Good. Sickle cell trait. One S.

00:31 So, it causes spontaneous sickling in peripheral blood.

00:34 And then it's still all normocytic hemolytic.

00:37 In the bottom picture, oh my goodness, no hemoglobin A.

00:40 Most of it is in the form of hemoglobin S. This is? Good.

00:46 Sickle cell disease homozygous. No hemoglobin A.

00:50 This is dangerous. Right? Really, really dangerous.

00:53 The spleen will be damaged. Hydroxyurea is what you're thinking about.

00:57 Because what does it do? It increases fetal hemoglobin. Fetal hemoglobin.

01:03 And that's what you wanna do in this condition because in sickle cell disease you have no hemoglobin A.

01:08 Maybe bone marrow transplantation if necessary because of reticulocytosis and at some point maybe parvovirus B19 kicks in. Fluid. Fluid. Fluid.

01:17 Analgesics. All part of your treatment regimen overall for sickle cell disease.