Translating Hemoglobin A1c into Average Glucose Values

In stable diabetic patients, each percentage point of HbA_1c corresponded to about a 29 mg/dL increment in estimated average glucose.

The interpretation of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA_1c) levels is not intuitively obvious to many diabetic patients, who are accustomed to thinking in terms of blood glucose levels. In this international study, researchers explored the relation between HbA_1c and average blood glucose levels in 507 people; 86% had stable diabetes, and 14% were not diabetic. Each subject underwent 2 days of continuous glucose monitoring every 4 weeks for 12 weeks (generating 288 glucose readings on each monitored day) and finger-stick capillary glucose monitoring seven times daily on 3 days each week for 12 weeks. HbA_1c was measured at 12 weeks.

A significant linear relation between average glucose and HbA_1c levels was confirmed and is reported in Table 1.

Thus, …

Reviewing Author

Allan S. Brett, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Allan S. Brett, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Translating Hemoglobin A_1c into Average Glucose Values

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Reviewing Author