Observational study of the level of HbA1c in iron deficiency anaemia cases: Before and after treatment

 

Akanksha Preety¹, R D Singh^2*

 

Abstract              Background: Our aim is to study the levels of HbA1c in iron deficiency anemia patients and the changes in HbA1c level after the correction of iron deficiency anemia. Methods: It was prospective interventional study, all patients coming to the department of general medicine, Patna medical college and Hospital during the period of November 2017 to December 2019, and fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria were enrolled in the study. Patients with iron deficiency anemia based on WHO criteria cut off point and age, sex matched control patients were assigned for study. History, clinical assessment and investigations including serum ferritin, HbA1c were done. All the biochemical studies were carried out with Auto biochemistry analyzer (Selectra Pro-M) in Department of Biochemistry, PMCH. Results: Mean HbA1c of patients with iron deficiency anemia (7.12 ± 0.608) was higher, compared to healthy control group (5.85 ± 0.681) with p value less than 0.001(significant).In iron deficiency anemia patients mean HbA1c decreased from 7.12 ± 0.608 % to 6.32 ± 0.681% after iron treatment with p value less than 0.001 which is statistically significant. Among patients with iron deficiency anemia, hemoglobin and HbA1c showed negative correlation (r = -0.26) which was statistically very significant (p= 0.005). A possible explanation is increased level of Malondialdehyde in cases of iron deficiency anemia which increses glycation which needs to be studied. Conclusion: Hemoglobin and HbA1c showed statistically significant negative correlation in patients with iron deficiency anemia. Iron deficiency anemia has to be kept in mind before using the HbA1c as diagnostic tool for diabetes especially in 2nd decade of life. HbA1c is preferably avoided in gestational diabetes as a diagnostic tool

Key Word: anemia, malondialdehyde, HbA1c.