Are Hemoglobin Levels Elevated in Type 1 Diabetes?

Abstract

OBJECTIVE While lower hemoglobin is generally associated with adverse events in diabetes, we have recently observed in type 1 diabetes that those with overt nephropathy had hemoglobin levels as high as 18.8 g/dl. We thus explored whether hemoglobin concentrations are generally higher in type 1 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Baseline (1986–1988) hemoglobin levels from the Pittsburgh Epidemiology of Diabetes Complications Study (EDC) of type 1 diabetes were compared with general population data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III in the same age range as the EDC population (aged 8–48 years). RESULTS Both male and female EDC study participants had significantly higher hemoglobin levels than their NHANES III counterparts (men: 16.0 vs. 15.1 g/dl, P < 0.0001; women: 14.1 vs. 13.3 g/dl, P < 0.0001). The difference between the two populations was greatest in adolescent female subjects. CONCLUSIONS Hemoglobin levels may be higher in type 1 diabetes than in the general population, which may have important clinical implications.