Diabetes Testing

Diabetes Testing

Doctors have used the glycosylated hemoglobin test for patients with diabetes since 1976 (1,2). The test is now widely used in the routine monitoring of patients with diabetes mellitus. Your doctor may use this test to see how well you respond to treatment. If you have low test values you probably have lowered risk for having complications from diabetes mellitus.

It is good to have your glycosylated hemoglobin tested at least two times a year if you meet your treatment goals or up to four times a year if you change therapy or do not meet your treatment goals. There are now many different ways to measure glycosylated hemoglobin. These tests vary in cost cholestech convenience cholestech you can do some at home. The values (glycosylated hemoglobin index) these tests give can vary too. Talk to your doctor about what your glycosylated hemoglobin index should be.

Patients with diseases affecting hemoglobin, such as anemia, may get wrong values with this test. Vitamins C cholestech E, high levels of lipids, cholestech diseases of the liver cholestech kidneys may all cause the test results to be wrong.

References

1. Bunn HF, Haney DN, Kamin S, et al: The biosynthesis of human hemoglobin A1C: slow glycosylation of hemoglobin in vivo. J Clin Invest 57(6):1652-9, 1976.

2. Fabbay KH: Editorial: Glycosylated hemoglobin cholestech diabetic control. N Eng J Med 295(8):443-4, 1976.

For more information about the glycosylated hemoglobin test (HbA1c), use the following links:

Medlineplus Healthline Health Information, Medical Encyclopedia, Glycosylated Hemoglobin

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003640.htm

National Diabetes Education Program–HbA1c Quiz cholestech Answers

http://ndep.nih.gov/materials/pubs/HbA1c/HbA1c-checkIQ.htm

Glycosylated Hemoglobin

http://www.healthy.net/library/books/textbook/section2/glyhem.pdf

Review Criteria for Assessment of Glycohemoglobin (Glycated or Glycosylated) Hemoglobin In Vitro Diagnostic Devices

http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/ode/odecl658.html

The National Glycohemoglobin Stcholestechardization Program (NGSP)

http://www.missouri.edu/diabetes/ngsp.html