The Study
Plasma glucose and HbA1c discrepancy may indicate hemoglobinopathy: a case series
This study is like telling three short stories about patients who had confusing blood sugar test results. It shows that sometimes HbA1c doesn’t match with blood sugar levels, and when that happens, there might be a hidden blood condition. But because it only looks at three people, we can’t say for sure that this will happen for everyone.
Analysis score
Maximum 30 for a case report.
Where the score came from
Sometimes in diabetes, the long-term blood sugar test (HbA1c) doesn't match the daily blood sugar checks. This can happen if a person has a hidden blood condition that makes the HbA1c test show a lower number than it should.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 520 / 100
Quality score
Snapshots of a population at a single point in time, or descriptions of small groups. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine cause and effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes, this matters because doctors might think diabetes is under control when it’s not, leading to wrong treatment decisions.
- 2Three patients had mismatched blood sugar results.
- 3All three had blood conditions that made HbA1c readings low, even if their blood looked mostly normal.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Current Medical Research and Opinion
Year
2025
Authors
G. Sonmezoz
Related Content
Claims (4)
Type 2 diabetes means your blood sugar stays too high over time, and doctors check this with two tests: one after you've fasted and another called HbA1c that shows how much sugar has been sticking to your red blood cells over the past few months.
If someone with diabetes has confusing blood sugar and A1c results, a special blood test called hemoglobin electrophoresis can help find rare blood conditions that might be messing with their A1c, even if their regular blood tests look mostly normal.
If someone with diabetes has blood sugar numbers that don't match their A1c test, it might be due to a hidden blood condition — even if their blood tests look mostly normal. In those cases, a special blood test could help get the right diagnosis.
If someone has certain blood conditions like sickle cell trait, their A1c test might show lower blood sugar levels than they actually have, which could trick doctors into thinking diabetes is under control when it's not — especially if they don't also check regular blood sugar tests.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.