Vol 3, No 2 (2002): Practical Diabetology
Other materials agreed with the Editors
Published online: 2002-05-13
How do we diagnose diabetes and measure blood glucose control? View 1 (diagnosing) A clinical basis for the diagnosis of diabetes
Diabetologia Praktyczna 2002;3(2):109-114.
Abstract
In 1979, criteria for the diagnosis of diabetes were
selected based on levels of glycemia on the oral glucose
tolerance test (OGTT) that were associated with
the subsequent development of retinopapthy. Since
then, five long-term studies have demonstrated that
when HbA1c levels are maintained below 7% (normal
6%), development of retinopathy and microalbuminuria
is practically nil. Approximately 60% of people
with fasting plasma glucose (FPG) concentrations of
126–139 mg/dl and 70% of those with 2-h values on
the OGTT of 200–239 mg/dl have normal HbA1c levels,
with another third having values between 6 and
7%. This article offers an alternative approach to diagnosis
using both FPG and HbA1c values.
Keywords: criteria for diabetes diagnosisHBA1cfasting plasma glucosediabetes