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Decoding HbA1c Test for Blood Sugar - History

Creator: Tanya Thomas
Keywords: Diabetes, mellitus, Huisman and Meyering, Hemoglobin A1cBookchin, Gallop, Koenig, Samuel Rahbar, history, blood test, results

Written by - Tanya Thomas, B.Com

Medically Reviewed by - Dr. Sunil Shroff, MBBS, MS, FRCS (UK), D. Urol (Lond)

Last Updated on Jul 27, 2020

History of HbA1c

Huisman and Meyering were the first to separate Hemoglobin A1c from other forms of hemoglobin. (Hb A1a and A1b were also recognized then.) While A1c was identified as a glycoprotein in 1968 by Bookchin and Gallop; the distinction of describing its increase in diabetics rests with Samuel Rahbar and his colleagues.

Koenig and coworkers were responsible for the inclusion of A1c in monitoring the control over glucose metabolism, especially in diabetics. Thus, the clinical significance of HbA1c came into play.

Published on Mar 22, 2016
Last Updated on Jul 27, 2020

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amehra

my HBa1c is 5.8% and fasting and pp sugar is less than 100. my insurance company rejects my term plan proposal only on this basis.Is it justified My all other tests including TMT,2D echo and all blood tests are normal

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sharmalokesh79

my fasting glucose level 90, pp 139, hba1c range 8.2, i am not taking any medicine as of now, do i require medication

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Ashish03

Hi I have recently get my Blood sugar test and in Test result came is PPS [/hexokinase] 150 mg/dl 70-120. And GLYCOSYLATED Hb (HbA1c) 6.5 % 4.0-6.0. My question is does I have diabetes and what all precautions do I have to take to make it less and up to what point it should be less.

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avinash1005

HbA1c Test can be a good measurement for diabetes, however genetic variations play important role in Diabetes. For example, genetic polymorphisms and mutations have been linked with Maturity onset of diabetes of young (MODY). There are about 15 genes associated with MODY, which were, till-date wrongly diagnosed as Type-1 diabetes. MODY donot require any medicines. Gene therapy and dietary changes alone can cure MODY diabetes. In patients diagnosed with type-2 diabetes, a genetic testing is recommended to find the best treatment for diabetes according to their genetic make-up. Certain dietary and life-style changes can even cure the disbetes completely in some individuals, but others may not be cured at-all from type-2 diabetes. Hence it is now recommended for comprehensive genetic testing for all patients with type-2 diabetes and MODY-type diabetes...

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Gupta1952

There is big gap regarding declaring a person as Pre-Diabetic and Diabetic based on 1] Fasting and PP sugar levels 2) HbA1c levels. Many patients with with Fasting sugar less than 100 mg/dl and PP sugar less than 140 mg/dl show HbA1c level in the range of 6 % 0r 6.1 %. A person with Fasting sugar less than 100 mg/dl and PP sugar less than 140 mg/dl is considered Non Diabetic. On the other hand a person with HbA1c level between 5.7 % to 6.4 % is considered as Pre-diabetic. Two comments posted below on this website also confirm this discrepancy. For example Comment posted on 12/16/2013 [yesterday) showing Fasting and PP level as 109 and 139 ( only Pre-Diabetic range) but HbA1c as 9.4 which is very high and is severe Diabetic range. Similarly comment posted on 08/06/2012 stating that blood sugar fasting in last 6 months was 100 and 91 and pp as 122 and 102 Recently I did Hb1ac test and it gave 6.1. On the basis Fasting and PP levels the person would be non -Diabetic. in Reply just below that comment Dr Marks has declared the person as Pre-diabetic. SC Gupta

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