Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2013 Aug 19.
Published in final edited form as: Metabolism. 2011 Jan;60(1):1–23. doi: 10.1016/j.metabol.2010.09.010

Table 5.

Conditions that can falsely increase or decrease HgbA1c values

Falsely low HgbA1c Falsely high HgbA1c
1. Hemoglobinopathies 1. Hemoglobinopathies
 Hgb S  fetal hemoglobin
 Hgb D  Hgb Stanleyville II
 Hgb GRAZ  Hgb OSU-Christiansborg
 Hgb TAKAMATSU  Hgb Raleigh
 Hgb G-SZUHU  Hgb D
 Hgb ETOBICOKE  Hgb K-Woolwich
 Hgb O Padova 2. Carbamylated hemoglobin
 methemoglobinemia 3. Anemia
2. Hemolysis  Iron deficiency
3. Medications  Vitamin B12 deficiency
 Dapsone  Folate deficiency
 Methylene blue
 Phenacetin
 Benzene derivatives
 Vitamin C excess
4. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia
5. Nitrates
6. Hereditary spherocytosis
7. Hemodialysis
8. Venesection
9. Post blood transfusion

Hgb indicates hemoglobin.