AUTOHAEMOLYSIS - blood

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Specimen: 10 mL blood in lithium heparin, or defibrinated blood. Collection by laboratory staff.

Method: Measure percent haemolysis after incubation of blood at 37°C for 48 hours, with and without added glucose.

Reference Interval: Lysis without added glucose 1.0-2.5 %; with added glucose 0.2-0.9 %.

Application: Rarely indicated; preliminary investigation of suspected inherited red cell disorders. Not diagnostic for any specific disorder. Consult pathologist.

Interpretation: Excess haemolysis corrected by glucose suggests an abnormality not involving the glycolytic pathway eg hereditary spherocytosis. Excess haemolysis not corrected by glucose indicates a disorder of red cell glycolysis eg pyruvate kinase deficiency.

Reference: Dacie JV and Lewis SM. Practical Haematology. 8th ed. Churchill Livingstone 1995.

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