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I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying their lives. We discussed hematology last week and explained everything here. Similarly, today, we will explain hemoglobin. First of all, I want to thank the contest organizer for sharing this knowledge with us. Now, a good task is expected from us, so I hope you guys will like my task and I will fulfill it.

A famous Venezuelan scientist who died on August 20, 1909, was Microbiologist Rafael Rangel. The famous scientist who is known as the Father of Venezuelan Peristology has played a major role in the study of diseases like malaria and yellow fever. They have faced a lack of recognition, financial support, and conflict with other medical professionals despite their achievements. Despite their success, they have faced these challenges. These are the issues that led to his struggles as well as his declining health.

Potassium cyanide is a chemical commonly used in the laboratory. Rafael Rangel sacrificed his life by eating it. His death shocked the entire scientific community and highlighted the difficulties early scientists faced in gaining support and recognition for their work.

Rafael Rangel's untimely death reminds us of the pressures and difficulties that many early scientists experienced. His legacy is honored for his contributions to public health and epidemiology. He is remembered as a pioneer of medical research in Venezuela. He created a consciousness among scientists to fight for their rights.

Hemoglobin

Found in red blood cells is a complex protein known as hemoglobin. Its main purpose is to transport oxygen from the lungs to the tissues. And plays an important role in transporting carbon dioxide from the tissues back to the lungs. It is an essential component of blood that is responsible for making blood red.

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Function of Hemoglobin

The main purpose of hemoglobin is to carry oxygen from the lungs to the whole body. It attaches to the lungs where there is more oxygen. And it releases it into tissues where oxygen levels are low. In addition, hemoglobin transports the waste products of carbon dioxide from the tissues to the lungs.

The ability of hemoglobin to release and hold oxygen depends on various factors:

Oxygen Concentration:
Hemoglobin binds when oxygen concentration is high in the lungs or when oxygen concentration is low in various tissues.

PH:
A decrease in pH decreases the affinity of hemoglobin for oxygen. It carries oxygen more easily to tissues when they are producing too much carbon dioxide and are more acidic.

Temperature:
High temperatures also decrease the affinity of hemoglobin for oxygen, which facilitates oxygen uptake in actively metabolizing tissues.

Carbon Dioxide Levels:
Increased levels of carbon dioxide in tissues also promote hemoglobin oxygenation.

Hemoglobin in Health

Normal Levels:
Hemoglobin levels, usually measured in a blood test, vary by age and gender but are usually between 13.8 and 17.2 for men and 12.1 to 15.2 g/dL for women.

Anemia:
A lack of hemoglobin causes anemia, a condition where the body does not get enough oxygen, making us feel tired and weak.

Polycythemia:
If the hemoglobin level is high, it causes polycythemia, which thickens the blood and increases the risk of blood clots.

Hemoglobin Variants

HbF:
HbF stands for fetal hemoglobin, the type of hemoglobin found in the fetus. And it binds to more oxygen than adult hemoglobin. which helps to remove oxygen from the mother's blood.

HbS:
HBS stands for sickle cell hemoglobin. In people with sickle cell disease, hemoglobin molecules can form abnormal shapes in low-oxygen conditions, causing various complications, including blockages in blood vessels.

Summary:

To give a summary, hemoglobin is an important protein for the transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide. which is found in red blood cells. It is essential for sustaining life by ensuring that oxygen to the tissues is sufficient for cellular respiration and helps remove metabolic waste products.

Manual Hematocrit

This is a traditional method that is still taught in various laboratories and training programs. However, it is rapidly becoming a stand-alone method in clinical settings.

Procedure

Blood Collection:
A capillary tube is used to collect blood, which is usually treated with an anticoagulant to prevent clotting. The tube is usually about two-thirds full of blood.

Sealing the Tube:
One end of the capillary tube is sealed with clay or plastic to prevent blood from escaping during centrifugation.

Centrifugation:
The sealed tube is placed in a centrifuge at high speed for about five minutes. This spinning process separates the blood components. In which the plasma comes to the top the white blood cells and platelets come in the middle and the red blood cells come to the bottom.

Reading the Hematocrit:
Hematocrit is calculated as the percentage of red blood cells in the total blood volume. This can be done with the help of a special hematocrit reader.

Advantages of Manual Hematocrit

Cost-effective:
Basic laboratory equipment is required, including a centrifuge, capillary tubes, and a hematocrit reader. This makes it more accessible in resource-constrained settings.

Simple to Perform:
It is very easy to do and teach and is usually very useful in small clinics.

Disadvantages of Manual Hematocrit

Accuracy Issues:
Human error in reading the packed cell layer can occur in a manual method. This results in incorrect results.

Plasma Trapping:
A small amount of plasma is incorporated into or trapped within the red blood cells. This slightly inflates the democratic reading, resulting in an underestimation of red blood cells.

Time Consuming:
This is a slow method as it requires us to go through several steps like centrifugation.

Automated Hematocrit

Automated hematocrit determination using modern hematology analyzers is widely used in today's clinical laboratories due to its efficiency and accuracy.

Procedure

Blood Sample:
A sample of the patient's blood is taken, usually in a tube containing an anticoagulant.

Hematology Analyzer:
The blood sample is placed in a hematology analyzer which is a sophisticated machine. Which does a complete blood count, which we call a CBC, and there are two common ways to do it.

• Electronic Impedance: The machine counts and sizes individual red blood cells in a blood vessel by measuring changes in impedance over time.

• Optical Method: The analyzer can use light scattering to measure cell volume.

Calculation:
Hematocrit is calculated based on the number of red blood cells in the blood we call RBCs and the volume of MCV. Which is under the given formula. This gives an accurate and rapid estimate of the hematocrit value.

Formula:
Hematocrit (Hct)= RBC×MCV/10

Advantages of Automated Hematocrit

High Accuracy and Precision:
The automatic method is highly accurate and it provides us with a better result with minimum variation.

Speed:
Hematocrit is measured along with other parameters. Other parameters include red blood cell count, hemoglobin concentration, and white blood cell count.

Multiparameter's Result:
Automated systems provide a complete set of blood parameters including complete blood count or CBC etc. and not just hematocrit helps in comprehensive diagnosis.

Reduced Human Error:
Since this system is automatic, there is very little human intervention, due to which human error is very little. And it provides reliable data.

Disadvantages of Automated Hematocrit

Cost:
Self-analyzers are always expensive and require an initial investment in ongoing maintenance and consumables. Because where resources are scarce, their access also becomes scarce.

Dependence:
Automated systems depend on electricity and technology because we have to use machines and electricity technology to run them. Which also requires a skilled specialist.

Overestimated Red Cell Mass:
In certain situations, such as with abnormally large red blood cells, automated hematocrit calculations can sometimes overestimate the red blood cell mass.

Key Difference

Plasma Sequestration:
In the manual method, some plasma is trapped in the blood, causing a high hematocrit value. However, automated systems that often result in less accurate hematocrit measurements avoid this problem.

The volume of Sample:
A manual method requires only a small amount of blood, which may be beneficial in these situations, but an automated system requires a large sample of blood.

Let's Consider a real-life example:

Dehydration and Hematocrit Levels

Let's imagine a 35-year-old man who arrives at a hospital emergency room after exercising several hours a day in hot weather. And he mentions that he feels dizzy and has a lot of fatigue and weakness. But the medical team thinks they are dehydrated. But he decided to do some blood tests CBC which includes measuring hematocrit.

Hematocrit in Dehydration

What happens in Dehydration?

When our body loses a lot of water, for example through sweating. At this point, the volume of plasma starts to decrease. Plasma helps maintain blood flow. As plasma volume decreases, the concentration of red blood cells in the blood increases, increasing hematocrit.

Lab Result:

The man's blood test shows that his hematocrit has dropped to 55 percent. Which is usually 38 to 50 percent in men. His hematocrit indicates that his blood is too concentrated. Dehydration is a common symptom.

Diagnosis:

The patient's symptoms, which he described as dizziness and fatigue, along with an elevated hematocrit, the medical team confirmed that the man had suffered from dehydration.

Treatment:

The patient is given intravenous (IV) fluids to restore his body's water balance. As fluids enter the bloodstream they increase the volume of plasma. which helps to thin the blood and plays an important role in bringing the hematocrit back to normal levels.

Outcome:

After the fluid therapy, the patient begins to feel better as his blood test shows that his hematocrit has risen to 45%. This indicates that the balance between plasma and red blood cells has been restored.

Importance of Hematocrit in this Example

High hematocrit is used to indicate dehydration in that case a hematocrit that is too high can indicate not only dehydration but also other conditions such as polycythemia and even chronic lung disease. By understanding the relationship between hematocrit and fluid levels, the medical team was able to diagnose dehydration and provide appropriate treatment quickly.

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_{Dated: 19-09-2024 About Me}