title: The frequency of detection of unexpected diabetes mellitus during haemoglobinopathy investigations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish the frequency of detection of previously undiagnosed diabetes mellitus as a result of detection of an increased glycated fraction of haemoglobin during high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for haemoglobinopathy diagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study was carried out over a 3-month period. During that period a total of 2094 patient samples were received for haemoglobinopathy investigation and were included in the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty samples were found to have an apparent increase in the glycated haemoglobin fraction and of these 38 were found to be from patients with known diabetes. Previously undiagnosed diabetes was discovered in 11 patients and it is likely that the twelfth patient also had diabetes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The detection of evidence of undiagnosed diabetes during HPLC haemoglobinopathy investigations is not rare, there being four cases per month in this study. This incidental observation should be reported to clinical staff.
authors: St Mary's Hospital Campus of Imperial College Faculty of Medicine, London, UK.
authors: Mary
authors: M
authors: Conroy
authors: Philip
authors: P
authors: Beer
authors: Carol
authors: C
authors: Hughes
authors: Lorraine
authors: L
authors: Phelan
authors: Barbara J
authors: BJ
authors: Bain
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis*; D006453:Hemoglobinopathies / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D033162:Incidental Findings; D008131:London; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human