Several years ago, we devised some formulas for the detection of
ß-thalassemia and incorporated them in the software of the H*2 blood
cell counter (Bayer). Passage of a sample from a patient with
heterozygous ß-thal. results in a red flag on the screen. Such
samples are checked for "Cooley's comma" for confirmation and an
advice for Hb-elctrophoresis/HbA2 determination is added to the
results. Samples from children and pregnant women sometimes give
false positives, which can be mostly detected by an absent comma.
Thus, we detect approximately 20 patients each year, with a far
higher detection score than the requests of junior docters.
Sensitivity is about 77%. The Bayer company in the
Netherlands has assisted us with the software and is prepared to
help Bayer representatives in other countries with incorporating
these formulas when requested. It is expected that this flagging
works in the same way on the ADVIA.
Disclaimer: no liability whatsoever is taken for the application
etc.etc.
Best wishes
Raymond Wulkan
Zuiderziekenhuis
Rotterdam
The Netherlands
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