| dc.description.abstract | Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) and hemoglobinopathies are among the most prevalent genetic
disorders in sub-Saharan Africa. Reliable screening is critical in blood donors to ensure transfusion safety.
HEMOTYPE SC®, a rapid immunochromatographic test, has been proposed as a low-cost alternative to
capillary electrophoresis for large-scale screening.
Objective: This study aims to compare the performance of HEMOTYPE SC® with capillary electrophoresis
(MINICAP®) for hemoglobinopathy detection in blood donors in Ziguinchor, Senegal.
Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted at Hôpital de la Paix, Ziguinchor,
between January and April 2023, enrolling 398 blood donors. Hemoglobin profiles were first determined
using HEMOTYPE SC®, followed by confirmation of all non-HbAA results via capillary electrophoresis
(MINICAP®). Statistical concordance between the two methods was evaluated.
Results: The mean age of donors was 25 years, and 68.3% were male. Blood group O was most prevalent
(44.5%). HEMOTYPE SC® detected HbAA (87.9%), HbAS (10.8%), and HbAC (1.3%), with capillary
electrophoresis confirming these profiles. Additionally, 7 hemoglobin variants undetected by HEMOTYPE
SC® were identified by capillary electrophoresis, and 3 hemoglobins remained unidentified.
Conclusion: HEMOTYPE SC® demonstrated high concordance with capillary electrophoresis for detecting
common hemoglobin variants. However, capillary electrophoresis remains essential for quantifying
hemoglobin fractions and identifying complex hemoglobinopathies. | en_US |
