Table 1.

%HbS information of patients (n = 5) receiving transfusion therapy. Paired blood samples were drawn from each patient before (Initial) and after (Final) transfusion. Initial and final %HbS was measured by Hb electrophoresis and by the paper-based assay. A clinical estimation of final %HbS (based on patient weight, Hb concentration and initial %HbS measured by Hb electrophoresis), used to guide transfusion practices, is shown for comparison. The mean difference of change in %HbS measured by Hb electrophoresis and by the paper-based assay is 3.9 %HbS. The mean difference of change in %HbS measured by Hb electrophoresis and with the clinical estimation is 3.3 %HbS. The clinical estimation overestimated the change in %HbS with respect to Hb electrophoresis in 1 of 5 patients. The decrease in %HbS measured by the paper-based assay was smaller than the decrease in %HbS measured by Hb electrophoresis in 5 of 5 patients.

	Hb electrophoresis			Clinical estimation			Paper-based assay
Patient	Initial %HbS	Final %HbS	Change in %HbS	Initial %HbS	Final %HbS	Change in %HbS	Initial %HbS	Final %HbS	Change in %HbS
1	41.2	27.8	−13.4	41.2	32.1	−9.1	34.3	22.8	−11.5
2	30.5	20.2	−10.3	30.5	22.4	−8.1	26.3	20.4	−5.9
3	43.5	30.4	−13.1	43.5	34.4	−9.1	30.4	24.7	−5.7
4	33.7	23.2	−10.5	33.7	21	−12.7	32.3	22.1	−10.2
5	33.3	19.7	−13.6	33.3	23.4	−9.9	21.8	13.6	−8.2