Mechanism: with intravascular hemolysis, hemoglobin is released from hemolyzed RBC’s into the blood, exceeding the binding capacity of haptoglobin -> excess hemoglobin is filtered by the kidney
Some of this hemoglobin is excreted in the urine, resulting in hemoglobinuria (with “coca cola-colored” urine)
Some of this hemoglobin is reabsorbed in the proximal convoluted tubule, where the iron portion is removed and stored in ferritin or hemosiderin -> proximal tubule cells slough off (containing the hemosiderin) and are excreted into the urine, resulting in hemosiderinuria
Urine hemosiderin (composed of a complex of ferritin, denatured ferritin, and other material) can be detected in iron-stained urinary sediment (within the sloughed proximal tubular cells)
Diagnostic Utility
Urine hemoglobin disappears more quickly from the urine than hemosiderin, making it less sensitive for the presence of hemolysis (especially in cases with intermittent hemolysis)
Urine Hemosiderin can remain in the urine for several weeks (making it a more sensitive marker for hemolysis in the recent past): however, after an acute episode of intravascular hemolysis, several days may pass before urinary hemosiderin can be detected
