Educate Your Patients on Biotin Test Interference
In late November 2017, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a safety alert to make the public and healthcare practitioners more aware that biotin can "significantly interfere with certain laboratory tests and cause incorrect test results…" According to the safety alert, there has been "an increase in the number of reported adverse events [injuries associated with medical care], including one death, related to biotin interference with lab tests." The one death occurred when a patient taking high doses of biotin had falsely low troponin results from a troponin test known to have interference from biotin. Troponin is a biomarker that helps diagnose heart attacks.
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Tests: B Vitamins | Feature Articles: Test Preparation: Your Role | In the News: FDA Warns that Biotin May Affect Some Lab Test Results