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Karakochuk CD, Dary O, Flores-Urrutia MC, Garcia-Casal MN, Hayashi C, Jefferds MED, Johnston R, Larson LM, Mapango C, Mazariegos Cordero DI, Moorthy D, Namaste S, Rogers LM, Saha K, Wuehler S. Emerging Evidence and Critical Issues with the Use of Single-Drop Capillary Blood for the Measurement of Hemoglobin Concentration in Population-Level Anemia Surveys. Adv Nutr 2024:100290. [PMID: 39151753 DOI: 10.1016/j.advnut.2024.100290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2024] [Revised: 08/01/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Accurate and precise measurement of hemoglobin concentration is critical for reliable estimations of anemia prevalence at the population level. When systematic and/or random error are introduced in hemoglobin measurement, estimates of anemia prevalence might be significantly erroneous and, hence, limit their usefulness. For decades, single-drop capillary blood has been the most common blood source used for the measurement of hemoglobin concentration in surveys, especially in low-income and middle-income countries. In this study, we highlight historical and emerging evidence that single-drop capillary blood introduces a high degree of random error (variability) to hemoglobin estimates, leading to less reliable estimates of anemia prevalence at the population level. At present, the best practice is to collect and use venous blood for measurement of hemoglobin with an automated hematology analyzer, following standard operating procedures and quality assurance measures. Where use of an automated analyzer is not possible, the analysis of venous blood in a point-of-care hemoglobinometer by trained phlebotomists or specimen collectors should be considered. A forthcoming systematic review will provide additional evidence on the accuracy and precision of single-drop capillary blood for hemoglobin assessment. In the meantime, we raise caution when using single-drop capillary blood for hemoglobin measurement as it can result in inaccurate hemoglobin estimates and less reliable anemia prevalence estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Crystal D Karakochuk
- Food, Nutrition and Health, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Omar Dary
- USAID, Bureau for Global Health, Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition Office, Washington, DC, United States
| | | | | | - Chika Hayashi
- United Nations Children's Fund, New York, NY, United States
| | | | | | - Leila M Larson
- Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Carine Mapango
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Dora I Mazariegos Cordero
- Nutrition and Micronutrient Department, Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panamá, Guatemala City, Guatemala
| | - Denish Moorthy
- Project USAID Advancing Nutrition, John Snow, Arlington, TX, United States
| | - Sorrel Namaste
- The Demographic and Health Surveys Program, ICF, Rockville, MD, United States
| | - Lisa M Rogers
- Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Kuntal Saha
- Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sara Wuehler
- Nutrition International, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
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Pfeiffer CM, Zhang M. Hemoglobin Determination: How Good is Good Enough? J Nutr 2024; 154:1967-1969. [PMID: 38705470 PMCID: PMC11302544 DOI: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2024.04.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Christine M Pfeiffer
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Environmental Health, Atlanta, GA, United States.
| | - Mindy Zhang
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Environmental Health, Atlanta, GA, United States
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Hackl LS, Karakochuk CD, Mazariegos DI, Jeremiah K, Obeid O, Ravi N, Ayana DA, Varela V, Alayón S, Dary O, Moorthy D. Assessing Accuracy and Precision of Hemoglobin Determination in Venous, Capillary Pool, and Single-Drop Capillary Blood Specimens Using three Different HemoCue® Hb Models: The Multicountry Hemoglobin Measurement (HEME) Study. J Nutr 2024; 154:2326-2334. [PMID: 38580209 DOI: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2024.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anemia prevalence estimates reported in population surveys can vary based on the blood specimen source (capillary or venous) and analytic device (hematology autoanalyzers or portable hemoglobinometers) used for hemoglobin (Hb) determination. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to compare accuracy and precision of Hb measurement in three blood specimen types on three models of hemoglobinometers against the results from venous blood from the same individuals measured on automated analyzers (AAs). METHODS This multisite (Cambodia, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Lebanon, Nigeria, and Tanzania) study assessed Hb measurements in paired venous and capillary blood specimens from apparently healthy women (aged 15-49 y) and children (aged 12-59 mo) using three HemoCue® Hb models (201+, 301, and 801). Measurements were compared against reference values: venous blood in hematology AA and adjusted via regression calibration or mean difference in HemoCue® Hb. Venous, capillary pool, and single-drop capillary blood specimens were assessed for accuracy and precision. RESULTS Venous blood measured using HemoCue® Hb 301 exhibited a positive mean error, whereas responses in HemoCue® Hb 201+ and 801 were nondirectional compared with the reference. Adjustment with the reference harmonized mean errors for all devices across study sites to <1.0 g/L using venous blood. Precision was highest for venous blood (±5-16 g/L) in all sites, lowest for single-drop capillary (±9-37 g/L), and intermediate (±9-28 g/L) for capillary pool blood specimen. Imprecision differed across sites, especially with both capillary blood specimens, suggesting different levels of personnel skills. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that venous blood is needed for accurate and precise Hb determination. Single-drop capillary blood use should be discouraged owing to high measurement variability. Further research should evaluate the viability and reliability of capillary pool blood for this purpose. Accuracy of HemoCue® Hb devices can be improved via standardization against results from venous blood assessed using AA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura S Hackl
- USAID Advancing Nutrition, John Snow Inc., Arlington, VA, USA
| | - Crystal D Karakochuk
- Food, Nutrition and Health, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Dora Inés Mazariegos
- Department of Nutrition and Micronutrients, Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama, Calzada Roosevelt, Guatemala
| | - Kidola Jeremiah
- National Institute of Medical Research, Mwanza Research Centre, Mwanza, Tanzania
| | - Omar Obeid
- Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Riad El-Solh, Beirut, Lebanon
| | | | - Desalegn A Ayana
- School of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Health and Medical Sciences, Haramaya University, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia
| | - Veronica Varela
- USAID Advancing Nutrition, John Snow Inc., Arlington, VA, USA
| | - Silvia Alayón
- USAID Advancing Nutrition, Save the Children US, Arlington, VA, United States
| | - Omar Dary
- Bureau for Global Health, United States Agency for International Development, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Denish Moorthy
- USAID Advancing Nutrition, John Snow Inc., Arlington, VA, USA.
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Namaste SM, Baingana R, Brindle E. Hemoglobin measurement in venous blood compared with pooled and single-drop capillary blood: a method-comparison study in a controlled and survey setting in Uganda among children and women. Am J Clin Nutr 2024; 119:949-959. [PMID: 38176682 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.12.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2023] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Standard practice for estimating anemia in population-based surveys is to use a point-of-care device to measure hemoglobin (Hb) in a single drop of capillary blood. Emerging evidence points to larger than expected differences in Hb concentration depending on the blood source. OBJECTIVE We evaluated use of different blood sources to measure Hb with a HemoCue 201+ analyzer compared with the reference method of venous blood tested with a Sysmex XN-450 hematology analyzer. METHODS Hb concentration in venous, pooled capillary, and single-drop capillary blood were collected in controlled (laboratory) and survey (Demographic Health Survey-8 pilot) settings in Uganda among children 6-59 mo and nonpregnant women 15-49 y. Venous and capillary blood collected from the same individual was tested using a HemoCue 201+ analyzer and the venous blood was also measured with a Sysmex XN-450 hematology analyzer. Agreement between measures was estimated using Lin's concordance correlation coefficient, Bland-Altman plots, and Deming regression. Means and prevalences were compared using paired t-tests and McNemar's tests, respectively. RESULTS The limits of agreement between Hb measured using a HemoCue 201+ analyzer and the reference method were lowest for venous (1.1-1.96 g/dL), followed by pooled capillary (1.45-2.27 g/dL), and single-drop capillary blood (2.23-3.41 g/dL). Mean differences were <0.5 g/dL across comparators. There were statistically significant differences in Hb concentration from both types of capillary blood. Anemia prevalence was lower in pooled capillary blood compared with the reference method. CONCLUSIONS The variability of Hb measured by capillary blood using the HemoCue 201+ analyzer is higher than venous blood but the extent to which this impacts the validity of Hb and anemia estimates requires further exploration. Future research is also needed to evaluate the implications of using venous compared with capillary blood in population-based surveys. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT05059457).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rhona Baingana
- Makerere University College of Natural Sciences, Kampala, Uganda, Africa
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Hess SY, Owais A, Jefferds MED, Young MF, Cahill A, Rogers LM. Accelerating action to reduce anemia: Review of causes and risk factors and related data needs. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2023; 1523:11-23. [PMID: 36987993 PMCID: PMC10918744 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
Anemia is a major public health concern. Young children, menstruating adolescent girls and women, and pregnant women are among the most vulnerable. Anemia is the consequence of a wide range of causes, including biological, socioeconomic, and ecological risk factors. Primary causes include: iron deficiency; inherited red blood cell disorders; infections, such as soil-transmitted helminthiasis, schistosomiasis, and malaria; gynecological and obstetric conditions; and other chronic diseases that lead to blood loss, decreased erythropoiesis, or destruction of erythrocytes. The most vulnerable population groups in low- and middle-income countries are often at the greatest risk to suffer from several of these causes simultaneously as low socioeconomic status is linked with an increased risk of anemia through multiple pathways. Targeted and effective action is needed to prevent anemia. Understanding the causes and risk factors of anemia for different population subgroups within a country guides the design and implementation of effective strategies to prevent and treat anemia. A coordinated approach across various expert groups and programs could make the best use of existing data or could help to determine when newer and more relevant data may need to be collected, especially in countries with a high anemia burden and limited information on the etiology of anemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja Y. Hess
- Institute for Global Nutrition and Department of Nutrition, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
- Micronutrient Forum, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Aatekah Owais
- Centre for Global Child Health, Hospital for Sick Children on behalf of Exemplars in Global Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Melissa F. Young
- Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Andrew Cahill
- Gates Ventures on behalf of Exemplars in Global Health, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Lisa M. Rogers
- Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
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