What disorders can hemoglobin electrophoresis help to detect?

Hemoglobin electrophoresis is a laboratory technique that separates different types of hemoglobin in a blood sample based on their size and charge, allowing for the identification of specific hemoglobin variants. The primary disorders that this test is instrumental in detecting include sickle cell disease and thalassemias.

Sickle cell disease is caused by a specific mutation in the beta-globin gene, leading to the production of abnormal hemoglobin known as hemoglobin S. When hemoglobin from a patient with sickle cell disease undergoes electrophoresis, it will show a characteristic banding pattern that reflects the presence of this abnormal hemoglobin.

Thalassemias, on the other hand, are a group of inherited blood disorders characterized by reduced production of one of the globin chains (alpha or beta) that make up hemoglobin. Hemoglobin electrophoresis can identify these alterations in hemoglobin composition, thus confirming the diagnosis and helping to classify the specific type of thalassemia.

Other options involve disorders where hemoglobin electrophoresis is not the primary diagnostic tool. Iron deficiency anemia and vitamin B12 deficiency relate more to serum iron studies and vitamin levels rather than to hemoglobin variants. Hereditary spherocytosis and autoimmune hemolytic anemia