Significance of HbA1c in Diagnosing and Prognosing Diabetes Related Complications

Background:
Diabetes mellitus, characterized by chronic hyperglycemia, results in
serious complications. The HbA1c assay plays a central role in the
diagnosis and monitoring of diabetes.

Objective:
To evaluate the contribution of HbA1c in the diagnosis and prediction
of diabetes complications.

Methods:
The cohort was conducted at Sir Salimullah Medical College, Dhaka,
Bangladesh from July 1, 2017, to July 30, 2018, over 96 diabetic
patients aged more than 18 years to determine the importance of the
HbA1c for diagnosing and predicting diabetic complications such as
retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, and cardiovascular
complications. HbA1c, fasting blood glucose (FBG), postprandial blood
glucose (PPBG), lipid profile, and renal/liver tests were conducted every
three months for one year. For determining correlation and relation,
correlation and regression analysis were done.

Results:
Average HbA1c was 8.2±1.4%, indicating poor glycemic control.
HbA1c correlated strongly with FBG (r=0.72) and PPBG (r=0.68).
Complications included retinopathy (15.6%), nephropathy (20.8%),
neuropathy (26%), and cardiovascular events (18.7%). Increased
HbA1c was linked to an increased risk of complications (HR 1.45, 95%
CI: 1.20-1.75, p<0.001). Age, diabetes duration, LDL cholesterol, and
serum creatinine were also predictive.

Conclusion:
HbA1c plays a very significant role in the diagnosis and management of
diabetes, with good correlations to glycemic control and complications,
emphasizing its relevance to clinical practice.
institutions.