HbA1C Blood Test Uncovers Undiagnosed Diabetes

A new study reveals that the hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) test can effectively detect hidden disease among hospital patients admitted with hyperglycemia.

Researchers from Touro University (Vallejo, CA, USA) and Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine (HCOM; Athens, USA) conducted a retrospective review of medical records of 348 patients admitted with hyperglycemia to examine the use of HbA1c tests in identifying previously undiagnosed diabetes mellitus. Of those patients, 50 had no known history of diabetes, and among them 31 (62%) were given an HbA1C test.

The results showed that 77% of the patients had results consistent with diagnoses of diabetes (58 %) or prediabetes (19%). Seventeen (55%) of the 31 patients had a discharge diagnosis that included diabetes. Of the 19 patients with no known history of diabetes who did not have an HbA1c test, 2 (11%) received a discharge diagnosis that included diabetes. The study was published in the June 2016 issue of the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association.

“We are missing opportunities to detect diabetes and initiate treatment for those patients to help manage that disease, which can reduce their long-term cost of care and disease burden,” said senior author Professor Jay Shubrook, DO, of HCOM. “From the osteopathic perspective of early detection equals better outcomes, it's easy to make a case for hospital protocols to trigger an HbA1C test when hyperglycemia is detected to distinguish between transient hyperglycemia and chronic disease.”

HbA1c refers to glycated hemoglobin, and is used to identify the average plasma glucose concentration over 8-12 weeks. For people without diabetes, the normal HbA1c range is 4-5.6%. HbA1c levels between 5.7% and 6.4% indicate increased risk of diabetes, and levels of 6.5% or higher indicate diabetes. The goal for diabetics is HbA1c levels less than 7%, which should be retested every three months to determine target level control.

Related Links:
Touro University
Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine