Levels of glucose and glycosylated haemoglobin in Saudi diabetic patients.

Seventy three (23 males and 50 females) Saudi diabetic patients and thirty (19 males and 11 females) control Saudi non-diabetic volunteers aged from 16 to 70 years were examined for glucose and HbA1 levels in fasting blood plasma during one year. There was no correlation between HbA1 levels and either age, sex or duration of diabetes. However, a linear relationship existed between HbA1 levels and those of fasting plasma glucose. Moreover the concentration of HbA1 in Saudi diabetics were significantly (P less than 0.001) higher than those in non-diabetic volunteers. The levels of HbA1 in patients on insulin were significantly lower than those on oral hypoglycemics (P less than 0.001) and those on diet only (P less than 0.001).