BACKGROUND: Fetal hemoglobin (HbF) levels in different hemoglobin variants in Osogbo, Nigeria, were estimated using two principal methods of estimation using existing information for HbF concentration and distribution of various hemoglobin variants in the area, as well as diagnosed cases of thalassemia. Two hundred and sixty samples collected from HbSS, HbSC, HbAA, HbAS, and HbAC subjects were analyzed. HbF level and hemoglobin type were determined in this study. METHODS: The hemoglobin type was determined using cellulose acetate electrophoresis at an alka-line pH, and HbF was determined by the acid elution and alkaline denaturation methods. RESULTS: The mean+/-SD of HbF in the respective hemoglobin variants was as follows: HbSS, 2.09+/-1.94%; HbSC, 0.85+/-0.54%; HbAA, 0.69+/-0.46%; HbAS, 0.52+/-0.31%; and HbAC, 0.57+/-0.26%. The mean HbF level across the hemoglobin variants was statistically significant (P<0.05). Investigating the sex distribution of the HbF level in the studied population revealed a slightly higher mean HbF level in females than in their male counterparts. CONCLUSION: Within the study population, the HbF level was found to be highest in HbSS and lowest in HbAS. The two methods of estimating HbF are equally reliable, since there was no significant difference between the results obtained from the two methods.
Cellulose ; Electrophoresis, Cellulose Acetate ; Female ; Fetal Hemoglobin ; Hemoglobin A ; Hemoglobins ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Male ; Nigeria ; Sex Distribution ; Thalassemia

Urinary lactate dehydrogenase (U-LD) isozyme assays were performed by cellulose acetate electrophoresis on the patients with clinically proven upper urinary tract infection (U-UTI) (N=21), lower urinary tract infection (L-UTI) (N=l5) and undetermined site of urinary tract infection (N =l4) as well as normal controls(N=l5). The results of this study are summarized as follows: * Total U-LD in normal controls (73.8 +/- 37.4 U/1) was significantly lower than in patients with upper UTI (145.9 +/- 86.8 U/I(p<0.01) or lower UTI (126.3 +/- 88.4 U/I) (p<0.05). * In normal controls and patients with L-UTI, LDI and LD2 predominated ('fast zone' pattern), and in patients with U-UTI, mainly LD5 and LD4 predominated('slow zone' pattern).
Diagnosis, Differential* ; Electrophoresis, Cellulose Acetate ; Humans ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase* ; Lactic Acid* ; Urinary Tract Infections* ; Urinary Tract*

The authors investigated LD activity and isoenzyme of total serum and joint fiuid in 18 cases of rheumatoid arthritis, 11 cases of degenerative arthritis, 6 cases of traumatic arthritis, and 10 cases of healthy control. The samples of serum examined were obtained from the anterior cubital vein and joint fluid from the knee joint except 2 cases of the rheumatoid arthritis, which were obtained from the wrist joint, in Busan National University Hospital from the April to July 1981. Total serum LD activity was measured by method of Caboud-Wroblewski and isoenzyme fractions were analysed by cellulose acetate electrophoresis. The results obtained were as follows: l. In the patients with joint diseases, total serum LD activity was significantly increased than that of healthy control. 2. The LD1 isoenzyme of joint fiuid was increased in degenerative arthritis than that in rheumatoid arthritis, and LD3 and LD5 isoenzymes were significantly increased in rheumatoid arthritis than that in degenerative arthritis. 3. In correlation between total LD and LD isoenzymes activities in joint fluid, total LD activity of rheumatoid arthritis was correlated with decrease of LD1 isoenzyme and increase of LD5 isoenzyme activity, and total LD activity of the degenerative arthritis was correlated with increase of LD1 isoenzyme activity. 4. In correlation between isoenzyme activity and gamma globulin of joint fluid, LD3 and LD5 isoenzyme activity in rheumatoid arthritis and LD4 in degenerative arthritis was correlated with increase of gamma globulin.
Arthritis ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Busan ; Electrophoresis, Cellulose Acetate ; gamma-Globulins ; Humans ; Isoenzymes ; Joint Diseases ; Joints ; Knee Joint ; Methods ; Osteoarthritis ; Synovial Fluid ; Veins ; Wrist Joint

BACKGROUND: beta-thalassemia is primarily found in individuals of Mediterranean and Southeast Asian ancestry. With rapid growth in the Southeast Asian segments of the Korean population, the geographic distribution of hemoglobinopathies is expected to become significantly different from what it is today. In this study, Hb fractions were measured in patients with hypochromic microcytosis to detect thalassemia and Hb variants. To evaluate the feasibility of replacing cellulose acetate electrophoresis (CA) with capillary electrophoresis (CE) in a clinical laboratory, both techniques were performed and the outcomes were compared. METHODS: To evaluate hemoglobinopathies, complete blood cell counts (CBC), CA, and CE were carried out on samples from healthy and microcytic hypochromic groups. The microcytic hypochromic group consisted of 103 patients whose mean corpuscular volume (MCV) was less than 75 fL and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) was less than 24 pg. Quantitative analysis of Hb fractions was performed on 143 whole blood samples. RESULTS: There was a good correlation for measurements of HbA (r=0.9370, P<0.0001), HbA2 (r=0.8973 P<0.0001), and HbF (r= 0.8010, P=0.0304) between the two methods. In the microcytic hypochromic group, there were 29 cases (28.2%) with decreased HbA2, 2 cases (1.9%) with increased HbA2, 3 cases (2.9%) with increased HbF, and 2 cases (1.9%) with increased HbA2 and HbF. CONCLUSIONS: CE is comparable to CA for reliable measurement of Hb fractions. It is suitable for screening of hemoglobinopathies in many clinical laboratories.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Blood Cell Count ; *Electrophoresis, Capillary ; *Electrophoresis, Cellulose Acetate ; Erythrocyte Indices ; Female ; Fetal Hemoglobin/analysis ; Hemoglobin A/analysis ; Hemoglobin A2/analysis ; Hemoglobinopathies/*diagnosis ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged