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Editorials

Diagnosing diabetes using glycated haemoglobin A1c

BMJ 2010; 340 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.c2262 (Published 17 May 2010) Cite this as: BMJ 2010;340:c2262
  1. Wenying Yang, head of endocrinology department
  1. 1China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, 100029, China
  1. ywy_1010{at}yahoo.com.cn

    Could have several advantages over traditional diagnostic methods

    Diabetes is one of the three most prevalent chronic diseases that pose serious threats to health. A recent study of 46 239 Chinese people aged 20 years or more indicated a prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes (blood glucose between normal and diabetic values) of 9.7% and 15.5%, respectively.1 These figures translate into a total of 92.4 million people in China with diabetes. In the linked study (doi:10.1136/bmj.c2249), Bao and colleagues assess the value of glycated haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in diagnosing diabetes and identify the optimal HbA1c cut-off value to be used in Chinese adults.2

    Currently, fasting plasma glucose values and the oral glucose tolerance test are most commonly used for the screening and diagnosis of diabetes. However, both require a fast of at least eight hours, and the oral glucose tolerance test also requires …

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