Artifactual hypoglycaemia secondary to leukaemoid reaction

Artifactual hypoglycaemia presents clinically as asymptomatic hypoglycaemia, and may be associated with an increased white blood cell count. The authors report a case of artifactual hypoglycaemia secondary to leukaemoid reaction in a patient with endometrial adenocarcinoma. Following thorough investigation and exclusion of true hypoglycaemia, this phenomenon was eventually diagnosed. The importance of awareness in the clinically asymptomatic patient of this phenomenon, taking measures to reduce erroneous laboratory glucose results, and confirmatory testing with a glucometer is emphasised. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons.