An “acquired” hemoglobin J variant in a sickle cell disease patient

Case report

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Authors: Nawwar Swedan, Kathleen Nicol, Phylis Moder, Samir Kahwash

Published Date June 2008 Volume 2008:4(3) Pages 649 - 652

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/TCRM.S6866

Nawwar Swedan¹, Kathleen Nicol², Phylis Moder², Samir Kahwash²

¹Fellow in Transfusion Medicine, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio; ²Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, Ohio

Abstract: We report the case of a rare hemoglobin variant, “Hemoglobin J”, discovered while performing hemoglobin electrophoresis following exchange transfusion of a sickle cell disease patient. It is usual practice in our institution to confirm the hemoglobin S level in sickle cell disease patients after red cell exchange. The patient had received 5 red cell units and the source of this variant was traced back to two of those units. Due to the uncertain clinical impact of this variant, and the lack of specific guidelines, the two donors were deferred from future donations to our institution.

Keywords: hemoglobin J, sickle cell disease, transfusion