Hemoglobin

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Hemoglobin

Hgb; Hb

Hemoglobin (varies with altitude):

• Male: 13.8 to 17.2 gm/dl
• Female: 12.1 to 15.1 gm/dl

Lower-than-normal hemoglobin may indicate:

• Anemia (various types)
• Erythropoietin deficiency (from kidney disease )
• Red blood cell destruction associated with transfusion reaction
• Bleeding
• Lead poisoning
• Malnutrition
• Nutritional deficiencies of iron, folate, vitamin B-12, vitamin B-6
• Overhydration

Higher-than-normal hemoglobin may indicate:

• Congenital heart disease
• Cor pulmonale
• Pulmonary fibrosis
• Polycythemia vera
• Increased RBC formation associated with excess erythropoietin

Additional conditions under which the test may be performed:

• Anemia of chronic disease
• Clinical hemoglobin C
• Diabetes
• Giant cell (temporal, cranial) arteritis
• Hemolytic anemia due to G6PD deficiency
• Type 1 diabetes
• Idiopathic aplastic anemia
• Idiopathic autoimmune hemolytic anemia
• Immune hemolytic anemia
• Iron deficiency anemia
• Paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria (PCH)
• Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH)
• Pernicious anemia
• Placenta abruptio
• Polymyalgia rheumatica
• Rhabdomyolysis
• Secondary aplastic anemia
• Drug-induced immune hemolytic anemia

Review Date: 02/03/2005
Reviewed By: Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.