BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuHaptoglobin blood testThe haptoglobin blood test measures the level of haptoglobin in your blood.Haptoglobin is a protein produced by the liver. It attaches to a certain type of hemoglobin in the blood. Hemoglobin is a blood cell protein that carries oxygen.HemoglobinHemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. The hemoglobin test measures how much hemoglobin is in your blood.Read Article Now Book Mark Article How the Test is Performed A blood sample is needed.Blood sampleVenipuncture is the collection of blood from a vein. It is most often done for laboratory testing.Read Article Now Book Mark Article How to Prepare for the Test Certain medicines may affect the results of this test. Your health care provider will tell you if you need to stop taking any medicines. Do not stop any medicine before talking to your provider.Drugs that can raise haptoglobin levels include:Androgens Corticosteroids Drugs that can lower haptoglobin levels include:Birth control pills Chlorpromazine Diphenhydramine Indomethacin Isoniazid Nitrofurantoin Quinidine Streptomycin How the Test will Feel When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain. Others feel only a prick or stinging. Afterward, there may be some throbbing or a slight bruise. This soon goes away. Why the Test is Performed This test is done to see how fast your red blood cells are destroyed. It may be done if your provider suspects you have a type of anemia that your immune system is causing. Normal Results The normal range is 41 to 165 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or 410 to 1,650 milligrams per liter (mg/L).Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or test different samples. Talk to your provider about the meaning of your specific test results. What Abnormal Results Mean When red blood cells are actively being destroyed, haptoglobin disappears faster than it is created. As a result, the levels of haptoglobin in the blood drop.Lower than normal levels may be due to:Immune hemolytic anemia Long-term (chronic) liver disease Blood buildup under the skin (hematoma) Liver disease Transfusion reaction Higher-than-normal levels may be due to:Blockage of the bile ducts Blockage of the bile ductsBile duct obstruction is a blockage in the tubes that carry bile from the liver to the gallbladder and small intestine.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Joint or muscle inflammation, swelling, and pain that comes on suddenly Peptic ulcer Peptic ulcerA peptic ulcer is an open sore or raw area in the lining of the stomach or intestine. There are two types of peptic ulcers:Gastric ulcer -- occurs in...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Ulcerative colitis Ulcerative colitisUlcerative colitis is a condition in which the lining of the large intestine (colon) and rectum become inflamed. It is a form of inflammatory bowel ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Other inflammatory conditions Risks There is little risk involved with having your blood taken. Veins and arteries vary in size from one person to another and from one side of the body to the other. Taking blood from some people may be more difficult than from others.Other risks associated with having blood drawn are slight but may include:Excessive bleeding Fainting or feeling lightheaded Multiple punctures to locate veins Hematoma (blood accumulating under the skin) Infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken) Open ReferencesReferencesMarcogliese AN, Yee DL. Resources for the hematologist: interpretive comments and selected reference values for neonatal, pediatric, and adult populations. In: Hoffman R, Benz EJ, Silberstein LE, et al, eds. Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 162.Michel M. Autoimmune and intravascular hemolytic anemias. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 151.AllVideoImagesTog Tests for Haptoglobin blood test Haptoglobin blood testRelated Information Hemoglobin(Medical Test)Amino acids(Special Topic)Gout(Condition)Bile duct obstruction(Condition)Peptic ulcer(Condition)Ulcerative colitis(Condition)Liver disease(Condition)Hemolytic disease of the newborn(Condition)Hemolytic anemia(Condition)Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency(Condition)Gout - InDepth(In-Depth)Peptic ulcers - InDepth(In-Depth)Ulcerative colitis - InDepth(In-Depth) Review Date: 1/25/2022 Reviewed By: Todd Gersten, MD, Hematology/Oncology, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, Wellington, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. 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Haptoglobin blood testThe haptoglobin blood test measures the level of haptoglobin in your blood.Haptoglobin is a protein produced by the liver. It attaches to a certain type of hemoglobin in the blood. Hemoglobin is a blood cell protein that carries oxygen.HemoglobinHemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. The hemoglobin test measures how much hemoglobin is in your blood.Read Article Now Book Mark Article How the Test is Performed A blood sample is needed.Blood sampleVenipuncture is the collection of blood from a vein. It is most often done for laboratory testing.Read Article Now Book Mark Article How to Prepare for the Test Certain medicines may affect the results of this test. Your health care provider will tell you if you need to stop taking any medicines. Do not stop any medicine before talking to your provider.Drugs that can raise haptoglobin levels include:Androgens Corticosteroids Drugs that can lower haptoglobin levels include:Birth control pills Chlorpromazine Diphenhydramine Indomethacin Isoniazid Nitrofurantoin Quinidine Streptomycin How the Test will Feel When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain. Others feel only a prick or stinging. Afterward, there may be some throbbing or a slight bruise. This soon goes away. Why the Test is Performed This test is done to see how fast your red blood cells are destroyed. It may be done if your provider suspects you have a type of anemia that your immune system is causing. Normal Results The normal range is 41 to 165 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or 410 to 1,650 milligrams per liter (mg/L).Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or test different samples. Talk to your provider about the meaning of your specific test results. What Abnormal Results Mean When red blood cells are actively being destroyed, haptoglobin disappears faster than it is created. As a result, the levels of haptoglobin in the blood drop.Lower than normal levels may be due to:Immune hemolytic anemia Long-term (chronic) liver disease Blood buildup under the skin (hematoma) Liver disease Transfusion reaction Higher-than-normal levels may be due to:Blockage of the bile ducts Blockage of the bile ductsBile duct obstruction is a blockage in the tubes that carry bile from the liver to the gallbladder and small intestine.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Joint or muscle inflammation, swelling, and pain that comes on suddenly Peptic ulcer Peptic ulcerA peptic ulcer is an open sore or raw area in the lining of the stomach or intestine. There are two types of peptic ulcers:Gastric ulcer -- occurs in...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Ulcerative colitis Ulcerative colitisUlcerative colitis is a condition in which the lining of the large intestine (colon) and rectum become inflamed. It is a form of inflammatory bowel ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Other inflammatory conditions Risks There is little risk involved with having your blood taken. Veins and arteries vary in size from one person to another and from one side of the body to the other. Taking blood from some people may be more difficult than from others.Other risks associated with having blood drawn are slight but may include:Excessive bleeding Fainting or feeling lightheaded Multiple punctures to locate veins Hematoma (blood accumulating under the skin) Infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken) Open ReferencesReferencesMarcogliese AN, Yee DL. Resources for the hematologist: interpretive comments and selected reference values for neonatal, pediatric, and adult populations. In: Hoffman R, Benz EJ, Silberstein LE, et al, eds. Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 162.Michel M. Autoimmune and intravascular hemolytic anemias. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 151.