Diabetes Management News and Views

Expert opinion is moving towards using HbA1c as the diagnostic marker for diabetes¹. Whilst not going that far yet the NHS Vascular Risk Assessment programme is saying that for patients with a BMI of 30 or greater (27.5 for some Asian groups), diabetes should be investigated with EITHER a fasting plasma glucose or an HbA1c.

One of the drivers of the Vascular Risk Assessment Programme is to narrow health inequalities and to identify individuals at risk from amongst populations who do not routinely use the health services. For these individuals a single stop, test now approach may prove far more effective than a come back later for discussions and or further tests. 
 
The project lead at the Department of Health has further clarified this suggestion “We are aware of the role that point of care testing (POCT) has for potentially improving up take and helping to tackle health inequalities. POCT is something that PCTs are using quite widely in the implementation of their NHS Health Check programmes, and it is something they have sought advice from from the Department of Health. In relation to HbA1c, the guidance is quite clear in that it provides a choice between a fasting plasma glucose or HbA1c test, and the Department’s position here is set out on page 22 of the guidance.”

If you have an interest in testing for HbA1c at the point of care you can visit our website: Near Patient Testing – Diabetes.

¹ ‘International Expert Committee Report on the Role of A1c Assay in the Diagnosis of Diabetes’ (July 2009), Diabetes Care, Volume 32, No. 7

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