Blister cells in children with sickle hemoglobinopathies.

The presence of blister cells in the peripheral blood of patients with sickle hemoglobinopathies was investigated to assess whether their presence was predictive of the patients' clinical state and would be diagnostically useful. Peripheral blood smears (PBS) were examined from 23 children with sickle hemoglobinopathies, 20 children with iron deficiency, and 29 healthy control children. The number of blister cells per 1,000 red blood cells was then correlated with the child's health state: well, minor illness, and illness requiring hospitalization. The presence or number of blister cells was found to be unreliable to predict the state of health or the cause of a pulmonary insult in children with sickle hemoglobinopathies.