Implications of using HBA1 as a diagnostic marker for diabetes.

Diagnosing diabetes now includes a new criterion; hemoglobin A1 ≥6.5 % which can have significant implications. This review compares the advantages and disadvantages of using HbA1 as the main diabetic diagnostic test. HbA1 has greater stability and less variability than plasma glucose measurements but may not always reflect glycemic levels of glycaemia. The present cut off value identifies fewer diabetics than glucose-based criteria. HbA1 being more convenient could diagnose more patients but this is not yet proven. When choosing a diagnostic test, the limitations of each test must be clearly understood to use appropriate clinical judgment and consider patient preference.