RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Abnormally Low Hemoglobin A1c as Harbinger of Hemoglobinopathy
JF The Journal of the American Board of Family
                Medicine
JO J Am Board Fam Med
FD American Board of Family Medicine
SP 923
OP 924
DO 10.3122/jabfm.2019.06.190124
VO 32
IS 6
A1 Joshua St. Louis
A1 Anthony Valdini
YR 2019
UL http://www.jabfm.org/content/32/6/923.abstract
AB Hemoglobin A1c is frequently used in primary care to screen for and monitor disorders of glucose metabolism. A number of clinical syndromes may impact the accuracy of this laboratory value. This report describes a case of abnormally low hemoglobin A1c that was the result of an asymptomatic compound hemoglobinopathy (homozygous hemoglobin S disease and hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin) that had gone previously undiagnosed. Primary care physicians must be aware of such pitfalls in the use of this laboratory value and be prepared to use other values to monitor for and assess disorders of glucose metabolism.