Because their blood may unload oxygen more readily than normal, people with hemoglobin of low oxygen affinity might be expected to be anemic. We have studied a woman with hemoglobin Hope/beta+ thalassemia, whose hemoglobin level was 10.4 to 12.3 gm/dl (normal 14 +/- 2) despite a P50 of 41 mm Hg (normal 26). Her cardiac index was normal, yielding a calculated mixed venous PO2 of 51 mm Hg (normal 34 to 49). Oxygen transport in patients with low oxygen affinity can be maintained by a variety of homeostatic responses, only one of which is altered erythropoiesis.

DOI:
Version: za2963e q8za7 q8zbe q8zc6 q8zd0 q8ze6 q8zf9 q8zg7