Sickle cell test

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Red blood cells, sickle cell

Red blood cells, multiple sickle cells

Red blood cells, sickle cells

Red blood cells, sickle and pappenheimer

Overview

Risks

Results

Sickle cell test

Alternative Names:

Sickledex; Hgb S test

What the risks are:

Excessive bleeding
Fainting or feeling light-headed
Hematoma (blood accumulating under the skin)
Infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken)
Multiple punctures to locate veins

Special considerations:

Blood transfusions within the past 3 months or iron deficiency can cause a false negative result.

Sickledex does not distinguish between sickle cell trait and sickle cell disease. Hemoglobin electrophoresis is required to distinguish between these two disorders.

Review Date: 2/1/2005
Reviewed By: Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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