Hemoglobin Variants in Patients Attending Aden Diagnostic Center by High Performance Liquid Chromatography

Introduction: High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is emerging as the method of choice for initial screening and diagnosis of hemoglobinopathies. The use of alkaline and acid gel electrophoresis may result in incorrect diagnosis of hemoglobinopathies. The aim of the study is to investigate the hemoglobin pattern using the HPLC and to correlate the hematological profile with the types of hemoglobin. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Aden Diagnostic Center from July– December 2022. Over a six-month period, 250 samples of patients aged between six months to thirty years, were evaluated by HPLC for detection of hemoglobinopathies using the Lifotronic Hemoglobin Analyzer H9: β-thalassemia Analysis Mode. Red blood cell and red cell indices were determined using automated hematology analyzer. Results: A total of 152 samples (60.8%) showed different abnormal hemoglobin variants. Sixty-four (25.6%) were diagnosed to have sickle cell anemia, 46 (18.4%) as sickle cell trait, two (0.8) as beta – heterozygous thalassemia based on high level of HbA2 (>3.9%), four (1.6%) as beta – homozygous thalassemia (HbF 25–91%), 18 (7.2%) as compound heterozygous state of sickle - β+ thalassemia, 17 (6.8%) as beta thalassemia trait, and one (0.4%) sample had HbD variant on HPLC was diagnosed as HbD trait. Conclusion: H9-HPLC is suitable for the routine investigation of hemoglobinopatheis because it is very powerful tool in the evaluation of Hb variants, rapid assay time and accurate quantification.