Sickle-cell disease laboratory findings

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Aarti Narayan, M.B.B.S [2], Shyam Patel [3]

Overview

The most important laboratory test for sickle cell anemia is a complete blood count (CBC), specifically hemoglobin and hematocrit.

Laboratory findings

Blood tests

Laboratory findings consistent with the diagnosis of sickle cell disease include:

• Anemia
• High reticulocyte count (greater than 1.5%)
• Target cells and Howell-Jolly bodies on pripheral blood smear
• Abnormal hemoglobin forms on hemoglobin electrophoresis (Sickle-cell hemoglobin (HgbS) and hemoglobin C with sickling (HgbSC) are the two most common forms)