Standard diabetes test glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) may mislead in diagnosis of type-2 diabetes in India’s population: experts

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Reliance solely connected  HbA1c is constrained by respective  objective  and biologic  factors successful  India, accidental    experts.

Reliance solely connected HbA1c is constrained by respective objective and biologic factors successful India, accidental experts. | Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

Standard diabetes trial glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) commonly utilized to diagnose and show type-2 diabetes (T2D) whitethorn mislead diagnosis and monitoring successful South Asia — peculiarly India’s population, with the precocious prevalence of anaemia, haemoglobinopathies (eg: sickle compartment disease, thalassaemia), and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, noted an nonfiction published online in Lancet Regional Health: Southeast Asia.

Led by Anoop Misra, corresponding writer and president of Fortis C-DOC Centre of Excellence for Diabetes, the reappraisal questions reliance connected HbA1c arsenic the sole diagnostic oregon monitoring instrumentality for type-2 diabetes successful South Asia.

The nonfiction adds that poorly standardised HbA1c assay methods complicate mentation of HbA1c values. “Overall, reliance solely connected HbA1c is constrained by respective objective and biologic factors successful India. A multiparametric, risk-stratified attack that integrates oral glucose tolerance test, self-monitoring of humor glucose, and whenever possible, continuous glucose monitoring, successful summation to applicable hematologic assessments are indispensable to heighten diagnostic and monitoring accuracy and pass due attraction decisions, particularly successful superior attraction and resource-limited settings,’’ said Dr. Misra.

Any information that affects the quantity, structure, oregon lifespan of haemoglobin — specified arsenic anaemia, haemoglobinopathies, oregon different reddish humor compartment disorders — tin distort HbA1c values and pb to misleading estimates of mean humor glucose, the viewpoint nonfiction notes.

Shashank Joshi, co-author from Joshi Clinic, Mumbai, explained that successful immoderate regions of India, radical are nutritionally challenged and person iron-deficiency anaemia, which tin distort HbA1c readings.

“This would impact some diagnosis and monitoring frankincense misleading clinicians. Reliance connected HbA1c unsocial could hold diagnosis by up to 4 years successful men with undetected G6PD deficiency, perchance expanding hazard of complications,’’ said Dr. Joshi.

The nonfiction explained that successful patients with type-1 diabetes, a non-linear narration betwixt mean humor glucose and HbA1c has been documented. Speaking connected the article, diabetologist V. Mohan said that portion HbA1c is the golden modular to recognize power of diabetes, it cannot beryllium the lone trial to diagnose diabetes and that this is not caller information.

Rajeev Jayadevan, ex-president of Indian Medical Association, Cochin, added: “Studies from India person shown that correction of anaemia tin trim HbA1c level. Diagnosis of diabetes can’t beryllium based connected a azygous HbA1c worth — the full objective representation indispensable beryllium considered,’’ helium said.

Published - February 09, 2026 10:50 p.m. IST

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