Single-Use Fingerstick Test for Hemoglobin A1c

Doctors can now use a simple fingerstick test to obtain quantitative HbA1c results in eight minutes during an office visit and offer their patients the same ability to monitor HbA1c at home.

The new device is the first-ever single-use device for measuring HbA1c, according to the developer, Metrika, Inc. (Sunnyvale, CA, USA). The disposable, pager-sized A1cNow Monitor provides fast results from one drop of blood, increasing the point-of-care access to immediate HbA1c results without the cost and complexity of instrument-based systems. It is the only device cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for prescription use by diabetes patients to obtain HbA1c test results at home and to monitor their progress between office visits.

In contrast to glucose monitoring, which is subject to fluctuations throughout the day, HbA1c is the best determinant of the average glucose metabolism over a period of two or three months. It is a key indicator of diabetes control and the risk of serious complications. A1c is factory calibrated, using reference blood samples that have been directly quantiated by a National Glycohemoglobin Standardization Program certified laboratory using a certified method.

"Since 50% of the HbA1c value is from the past 30 days, A1cNow is also a valuable new tool for monitoring treatment response and helping patients better control their blood sugar between visits,” said Michael Allen, chairman and CEO of Metrika.



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