Stability: up to 72h at 4C. Store on ice if transit time to the laboratory is greater than 2 hours.
Please phone laboratory to advise of urgency criteria.
Units: % of total haemoglobin
Ranges:
|
Premature neonate |
0.08- 4.4% |
|
Full term neonate |
0.0 - 2.8% |
|
Adult |
0.2 - 1.5% |
|
Toxic level |
> 15% |
Uncertainty of Measurement: 0.5% up to a concentration of 20% of total haemoglobin
Methaemoglobin is haemoglobin with the iron oxidised to its ferric state. It is unable to bind oxygen, and causes hypoxia and cyanosis at high concentrations.
It is increased in methaemoglobin reductase deficiency .
Also increased due to drugs: chloroquine, isoniazid, nitrates, nitrites, sulphonamides, benzocaine, aniline dyes. Fetal hemoglobin converts to methaemoglobin more readily than adult haemoglobin; infants have an increased susceptibility to forming methaemoglobin.
See Haemoglobin M
See Methaemoglobin Reductase
The chemical pathology team can be reached via email: chemicalpathologist@adhb.govt.nz or via Lablink (09) 307 4949 ext 22000 or 09-3078995
Emails will receive priority attention from the on-call chemical pathologist. Include the patients NHI.
After-hours: contact Lablink (Auckland City Hospital ext. 22000 or 09-3078995) or hospital operator for on duty staff after hours .
- Dr Samarina Musaad (Clinical Lead) : SamarinaM@adhb.govt.nz ext. 22402
- Dr Cam Kyle : CampbellK@adhb.govt.nz ext 22052
- Dr Weldon Chiu : WeldonC@adhb.govt.nz ext. 23427
- Dr Campbell Heron : CHeron@adhb.govt.nz ext. 23427
- Dr Sakunthala Jayasinghe Saku.Jayasinghe@adhb.govt.nz
- Dr Owen Yi WenyiYi@adhb.govt.nz