Sorted By Test Name - Mayo Medical Laboratories

HGB_Q
8581
UNHB
9095
HAEVP
84157
Textbook of Clinical Chemistry, 3rd edition. Edited by CA Burtis, ER Ashwood, Philadelphia, WB
Saunders Company, 1999; pp 1670-1673
Hemoglobin, Qualitative, Urine
Clinical Information: Free hemoglobin (Hgb) in urine usually is the result of lysis of RBCs present
in the urine due to bleeding into the urinary tract (kidney, ureters, bladder). Less commonly, intravascular
hemolysis (eg, transfusion reaction, hemolytic anemia, paroxysmal hemoglobinuria) may result in
excretion of free Hgb from blood into urine. Injury to skeletal or cardiac muscle results in the release of
myoglobin, which also is detected by this assay. Conditions associated with myoglobinuria include
hereditary myoglobinuria, phosphorylase deficiency, sporadic myoglobinuria, exertional myoglobinuria in
untrained individuals, crush syndrome, myocardial infarction, myoglobinuria of progressive muscle
disease, and heat injury.
Useful For: Screening for hematuria, myoglobinuria, or intravascular hemolysis
Interpretation: Free hemoglobin (Hgb), in the presence of RBCs, indicates bleeding into the urinary
tract. Free Hgb, in the absence of RBCs, is consistent with intravascular hemolysis. Note: RBCs may be
missed if lysis occurred prior to analysis; the absence of RBCs should be confirmed by examining a fresh
specimen. The test is equally sensitive to hemoglobin and to myoglobin. The presence of myoglobin may
be confirmed by MYOU/9274 Myoglobin, Urine.
Reference Values:
Appearance (internal specimens only): normal
Hemoglobin: negative
RBCs (internal specimens only): 0-2 rbcs/hpf
Clinical References: Fairbanks, V.F. and Klee G.G., Textbook of Clinical Chemistry 1986, Chapter
15, p 1562
Hemoglobin, Unstable, Blood
Clinical Information: Unstable hemoglobin disease is rare and may be caused by any 1 of a large
number of hemoglobin variants. They are inherited as an autosomal dominant trait. The severity of the
disease varies according to the hemoglobin variant; there may be no clinical symptoms or the disease may
produce a mild, moderate, or severe hemolytic anemia. The stained peripheral blood smear shows
anisocytosis, poikilocytosis, basophilic stippling, polychromasia and, sometimes, hypochromia. The
reticulocyte count may be increased. Splenomegaly and Heinz bodies may also be present.
Useful For: Work-up of congenital hemolytic anemias
Interpretation: An abnormal or unstable result is indicative of a hemoglobin variant present. Other
confirmatory tests should be performed to identify the hemoglobinopathy (HBELC/81626 Hemoglobin
Electrophoresis Cascade, Blood).
Reference Values:
Normal (reported as normal [stable] or abnormal [unstable])
Clinical References: Hoyer JD, Hoffman DR: The thalassemia and hemoglobinopathy syndromes.
In Clinical Laboratory Medicine. 2nd edition. Edited by KD McMlatchey. Philadelphia, Lippincott
Williams and Wilkins, 2002, pp 866-895
Hemolytic Anemia Evaluation
Clinical Information: Hemolytic anemia (HA) is characterized by increased red cell destruction and
a decreased red cell life span. Patients have decreased hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit, and red
blood cell count. Blood smear abnormalities may include spherocytes, acanthocytes, schistocytes,
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