Le dosage de l'hémoglobine A1c en 2013

Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) is the key parameter of diabetic patient glycemic control survey. Its assay is performed by well-controlled techniques, whose advantages and limitations must be known upon result interpretation in clinical practice. HbA1c may be caught out in case of troubles of hemoglobin or red blood cell metabolism, or in the presence of some hemoglobin variants, and may be replaced by fructosamine assay. HbA1c assays are standardized against an international reference method, which allows to obtain comparable results from one method and one laboratory to another. This standardization, based on a more specific methodology, leads to modify HbA1c value expression (mmol/mol instead of percentages), according to a schedule and an implementation program to be determined in every country. HbA1c assay is likely to be extended to screening and diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, as already recommended in different countries. Thus, HbA1c remains a full of future promise tool in diabetic patient care.