Abstract

Acute hemolytic anemia in patients with red blood cells deficient in enzymes such as G-6-PD is characterized by excessive oxidation of hemoglobin (Hb) to a variety of soluble heme pigments and to precipitates, attached to the inner surface of the red cell membrane, known as Heinz bodies (1). These pigments and precipitates do not carry oxygen. The cyanmethemoglobin method. widely used to determine blood Hb concentration, detects not only Hb but methemoglobin and other non-oxygen carrying heme pigments as well; sulfhemoglobin is not detected by this method (2). The present study tested the hypothesis that non-oxygen carrying pigments might constitute a significant fraction of “hemoglobin,” as measured by the cyanmethemoglobin method, during the course of acute hemolytic anemia induced in dogs by phenlyhydrazine, a potent oxidizing agent. Measured blood oxygen carrying capacity (CmaxO2) was less than the CmaxO2 expected from Hb in anemic dogs. The data thus confirm the hypothesis. Additional studies indicat...

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