Hemoglobin in Urine:Discovering free hemoglobin in urine is an abnormal occurrence that can make the urine appear darker. This condition is known as hemoglobinuria. Hemoglobin, the protein found in red blood cells, is responsible for transporting oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues and carrying carbon dioxide back to the lungs. The iron in hemoglobin gives red blood cells their distinctive red color.Typically, red blood cells are removed from circulation after about four months; during this process, they are captured and broken down in the spleen, bone marrow, and liver. However, if red blood cells break down within the circulatory system, their components are released into the bloodstream. Free hemoglobin is usually captured by another protein called haptoglobin and recycled. If the amount of hemoglobin exceeds the capacity of haptoglobin to bind it, hemoglobin starts appearing in the urine, resulting in hemoglobinuria.Under normal circumstances, urine does not contain hemoglobin. Hemoglobinuria can indicate several medical conditions, such as acute hemolytic anemia, severe burns, kidney cancer, paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (characterized by dark morning urine that becomes lighter during the day), hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), sickle cell anemia (or other types of hemolytic anemia), a transfusion reaction (caused by an immune response against transfused red blood cells), thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), and certain forms of nephritis.
