The Place of Hba1c Level in Diabetes Mellitus Diagnosis, Comparison with Current Diagnostic Criteria (Hba1c Level in Diabetes Mellitus)

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a long-term metabolic disorder. Early detection is crucial. In recent years, glycated hemoglobin has gained attention as a valuable biomarker for diagnosing diabetes. This study aimed to determine the ability of HbA1c to detect diabetes cases by simultaneously determining HbA1c levels. Methods: This study included a total of 200 patients. It was conducted between February 2010 and February 2011. Of the 200 participants, 23 individuals with fasting plasma glucose levels of 126 mg/dL or higher did not undergo oral glucose tolerance testing. These individuals were classified as having diabetes mellitus. Additional biochemical parameters, including triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C, VLDL-C, and HbA1c. Waist circumference and body mass index were also measured. Results: Of the 200 participants in the study, 141 were female, and 59 were male. There was no statistical difference in gender distribution between the groups. Of the 29 participants mentioned, 22 had diabetes mellitus, four had impaired glucose tolerance, and three were normoglycemic according to oral glucose tolerance testing and fasting plasma glucose. When the HbA1c value was 6.5%, it was observed that its sensitivity in detecting diabetes cases was 47%, and its specificity was 95%. It was determined that there was a positive significant correlation between fasting plasma glucose and first and second-hour oral glucose tolerance testing values and HbA1c (p=0.001 and r=0.48; r=0.37 ve r=0.47 respectively). Conclusion: This study's findings reaffirm the importance of HbA1c as a diagnostic marker for diabetes mellitus, particularly its high specificity and ability to provide a long-term view of glycemic control.