Systematic Diabetes Screening Using Point-of-Care HbA1c Testing Facilitates Identification of Prediabetes

Ann Fam Med. 2017 Mar;15(2):162-164. doi: 10.1370/afm.2035.

Abstract

This prospective longitudinal study compares diabetes screenings between standard practices vs systematically offered point-of-care (POC) hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) tests in patients aged 45 years or older. Systematically screened participants (n = 164) identified 63% (n = 104) with unknown hyperglycemia and 53% (n = 88) in prediabetes. The standard practice (n = 324) screened 22% (n = 73), most commonly by blood glucose (96%); 8% (n = 6) and 33% (n = 24) were found to have diabetes and prediabetes, respectively. The association between screening outcome and screening method was statistically significant (P = 0.005) in favor of HbA1C HbA1c may be the most effective method to identify patients unknowingly living in hyperglycemia. Point-of-care tests further facilitate screening evaluation in a timely and feasible fashion.

Keywords: diabetes; hemoglobin A1C; HbA1c; prediabetes; screening.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Alabama
  • Blood Glucose / analysis
  • Female
  • Glycated Hemoglobin / analysis*
  • Humans
  • Hyperglycemia / diagnosis*
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Mass Screening / methods*
  • Middle Aged
  • Point-of-Care Testing / statistics & numerical data
  • Prediabetic State / diagnosis*
  • Prospective Studies

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • Glycated Hemoglobin A