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- Type of diabetes
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- Diet only
My last HbA1c in June came back 10 points higher than other data suggests.
Personal data from rigorous and frequent finger prick average over 3 months was 5.62. Converted to HbA1c measurement units = HbA1c 33.
My Sugr estimate for 4 weeks prior to test = HbA1c 32
Home HbA1c test (A1cNow) few days before test = HbA1c 33
Last Libre sensor for 2 weeks up to 26th May = HbA1c 31.
My actual lab HbA1c was 43.
This has been happening at every test for about 4 years, causing me to do lots of research on the fallibility of the HbA1c in many people. On this last occasion I’d had enough so queried it with my GP.
She spoke to the clinical biochemist at the East Lancashire Trust lab where my blood samples are normally analysed. The biochemist explained the method they use is high performance Liquid Chromatography. However, they sometimes send samples to Salford Royal Hospital for the HbA1c to be measured by a different method called Affinity Chromatography if there may be anything in the blood sample that may interfere with the result. (eg. Haemoglobin variances).
I was asked to give a new sample of blood, which I did. This was sent to the normal East Lancs lab who analysed it then forwarded the same sample to Salford for their analysis.
Results.
East Lancs HbA1c = 44
Salford HbA1c = 40
My GP has now spoken with the Consultant Clinical Biochemist at our normal lab who has recommended that all my future HbA1c test samples should be sent first to them for analysis and then re-directed to Salford for a second analysis.
This does not wholly explain the 10 point difference between my own data and the actual tests, but it goes some way to show that my haemoglobin does have some variances that make the HbA1c unreliable.
Personal data from rigorous and frequent finger prick average over 3 months was 5.62. Converted to HbA1c measurement units = HbA1c 33.
My Sugr estimate for 4 weeks prior to test = HbA1c 32
Home HbA1c test (A1cNow) few days before test = HbA1c 33
Last Libre sensor for 2 weeks up to 26th May = HbA1c 31.
My actual lab HbA1c was 43.
This has been happening at every test for about 4 years, causing me to do lots of research on the fallibility of the HbA1c in many people. On this last occasion I’d had enough so queried it with my GP.
She spoke to the clinical biochemist at the East Lancashire Trust lab where my blood samples are normally analysed. The biochemist explained the method they use is high performance Liquid Chromatography. However, they sometimes send samples to Salford Royal Hospital for the HbA1c to be measured by a different method called Affinity Chromatography if there may be anything in the blood sample that may interfere with the result. (eg. Haemoglobin variances).
I was asked to give a new sample of blood, which I did. This was sent to the normal East Lancs lab who analysed it then forwarded the same sample to Salford for their analysis.
Results.
East Lancs HbA1c = 44
Salford HbA1c = 40
My GP has now spoken with the Consultant Clinical Biochemist at our normal lab who has recommended that all my future HbA1c test samples should be sent first to them for analysis and then re-directed to Salford for a second analysis.
This does not wholly explain the 10 point difference between my own data and the actual tests, but it goes some way to show that my haemoglobin does have some variances that make the HbA1c unreliable.