Special Precautions/Comments:

Additional Information:

Haptoglobin is most often used to diagnose haemolytic anaemia.

Haptoglobin is a protein produced by the liver. It finds and attaches itself to free haemoglobin in the blood, forming a complex that is rapidly removed from the circulation by the liver. When large numbers of RBCs are destroyed, releasing haemoglobin, haptoglobin concentrations in the blood will temporarily decrease as the consumption of haptoglobin exceeds that produced by the liver.

Liver disease may also result in low haptoglobin levels as liver damage may reduce both the production of haptoglobin and the removal of the haptoglobin-haemoglobin complexes.