Publication
Title
Artifactual hypoglycemia in a patient with systemic sclerosis
Author
Abstract
Artifactual hypoglycemia, defined as a discrepancy between different laboratory measurements and actual blood glucose levels, can occur due to clinical conditions affecting the capillary microcirculation leading to falsely low blood glucose assessment. Systemic sclerosis, hallmarked by auto-immunity, fibrosis of the skin and/or internal organs and small vessel vasculopathy, can interfere with capillary point-of-care (POC) glycemia measurements, leading to the misdiagnosis of hypoglycemia. We report an 87-year-old woman with recurrent, asymptomatic hypoglycemia of unknown cause. Clinical examination revealed multiple features of limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis causing microvascular damage leading to artifactual hypoglycemia. Artifactual hypoglycemia is rarely considered by physicians and knowledge of its causes is generally lacking. Early identification of causes of inaccurate glycemia assessment can prevent unnecessary investigations and treatment. In the future, continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) could become a reliable alternative for inpatient glucose monitoring.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Acta clinica Belgica / Belgian Society of Internal Medicine [Ghent]; Royal Belgian Society of Laboratory Medicine. - Gent, 1997, currens
Publication
Abingdon : Taylor & francis ltd , 2022
ISSN
1784-3286 [print]
2295-3337 [online]
DOI
10.1080/17843286.2020.1837575
Volume/pages
77 :2 (2022) , p. 400-405
ISI
000579659600001
Pubmed ID
33074796
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
Full text (publisher's version - intranet only)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 01.12.2020
Last edited 12.12.2024
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