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A1C Conversion/Translation

SaskiaKC

SaskiaKC

Expert
Messages
6,313
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Can someone please tell me how to convert/translate US A1C numbers to UK A1C?
There are no websites that tell how to do this. I know how to convert FBG but I can't find any place that says how to convert A1C.
 
urbanracer said:
Not sure how to do the arithmetic but take a look at this,

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/what-is-hba1c.html
Click to expand...

Thank you. :) But I cannot make sense of all those numbers and letters. I saw this on that site:
48 mmol/mol (6.5%)

But I have no idea what it means, unless the 6.5% is the US measure and the 48 is the UK equivalent. I don't know what mmol and mol and mole mean either. Nor do I know what mathematical equation is needed to get a 6.5 out of a 48.
 
SaskiaKC said:
Thank you. :) But I cannot make sense of all those numbers and letters. I saw this on that site:
48 mmol/mol (6.5%)

But I have no idea what it means, unless the 6.5% is the US measure and the 48 is the UK equivalent. I don't know what mmol and mol and mole mean either. Nor do I know what mathematical equation is needed to get a 6.5 out of a 48.
Click to expand...

I believe the 6.5% is the US measure, so if you have your US A1C number and enter it into the calculator you’ll get the UK equivalent and vice versa. I don’t know the mathematical equation either, but in my case that’d help less than the simple calculator!

There is a bit more explanation here: https://www.diabetes.co.uk/hba1c-units-converter.html
 
Thank you, @Goonergal. I remember the last time I tried this -- last year? -- I used some website formula and the result was a number that was nowhere near any of the HbA1c numbers other people were posting here.
I don't guess it really matters, especially as I've just remembered that they did the blood draw without having told me it should have been a fasting blood draw, so the numbers probably don't mean much anyway.
Sorry. :sorry:
 
SaskiaKC said:
Thank you, @Goonergal. I remember the last time I tried this -- last year? -- I used some website formula and the result was a number that was nowhere near any of the HbA1c numbers other people were posting here.
I don't guess it really matters, especially as I've just remembered that they did the blood draw without having told me it should have been a fasting blood draw, so the numbers probably don't mean much anyway.
Sorry. :sorry:
Click to expand...

The lack of fasting won’t affect your HbA1c, perhaps the fasting was needed for another test being done at the same time?
 
SaskiaKC said:
Thank you, @Goonergal. I remember the last time I tried this -- last year? -- I used some website formula and the result was a number that was nowhere near any of the HbA1c numbers other people were posting here.
I don't guess it really matters, especially as I've just remembered that they did the blood draw without having told me it should have been a fasting blood draw, so the numbers probably don't mean much anyway.
Sorry. :sorry:
Click to expand...


Hi @SaskiaKC .

We already spoke about the numbers, and as @Goonergal says the 6.3%. It's the US VERSION.. And converted becomes the usual 48 mmol we use here in UK.

I think the issue can be remembering that the MMOL for the UK HBA1c..Is NOT the same as the MMOL we use in the UK For our finger orick tests each day...confusing, huh

As for the blood draw, a little difference of opinion among many.

I am told that the HBA1c, as it is an AVERAGE of the past 3 months (the time taken roughly to generate new blood cells and replace the old)
Although weighted to the last few weeks, apparently..the fasting for the blood draw makes NO difference to the HBA1c outcome.

But for myself I DO fast, as do others, because of the other metrics being taking in that blood draw...cholestrol, HDL, LDL, trigs, etc.

So personally I want the same playing field EACH time, not muddied by one having a dozen coffees before the blood draw and next having none, for example.

That to me, just fits my mindset, and puts ME at peace with the results being as accurate as possible, EACH time.

For others the hassle of fasting, means they are more happier eating as normal before a blood draw ... Each to their own, I say.
 
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Goonergal said:
The lack of fasting won’t affect your HbA1c, perhaps the fasting was needed for another test being done at the same time?
Click to expand...

Cholesterol. Doc said LDL was "a little high" but the number was right in the middle of the "standard" range. She wants to double my statin dosage. I asked if I could keep it as is for the next 3 months and try eating better.
 
jjraak said:
I think the issue can be remembering that the MMOL for the UK HBA1c..Is NOT the same as the MMOL we use in the UK For our finger orick tests each day...confusing, huh
Click to expand...
There is a difference between the unit’s of measurement of HbA1c which is mmol/MOL as opposed to finger prick tests which are measured in mmol/L
 
Rachox said:
There is a difference between the unit’s of measurement of HbA1c which is mmol/MOL as opposed to finger prick tests which are measured in mmol/L
Click to expand...

Ah, thank you @Rachox for that clarification.:)

i was close, but had not expressed it properly....schoolboy error :rolleyes:;)

i'll try and remember that for next time.:bookworm:

kind regards
 
I always use this chart to quickly look it up. Often when someone uses different units for hba1c they also use different units for BG, so good to have everything together. Top row is hba1c in mmol/mol, second is hba1c in %, like you use, the lower rows are blood glucose in mg/dl and mmol/l.
image-asset.jpeg
 
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