How they determine A1c??

[shoop99]

I was just wondering how they determine your A1c? Some one told me they determine it by your averages by your meter. But someone could easily cheat on that. So does anyone know? My last A1c was 5.2 which i guess is pretty good.

[duck]

I was just wondering how they determine your A1c? Some one told me they determine it by your averages by your meter. But someone could easily cheat on that. So does anyone know? My last A1c was 5.2 which i guess is pretty good.

Basically, your blood glucose leaves an "imprint" on the hemoglobin in your blood cells. Wiki has a decent page for it:

Glycosylated hemoglobin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycosylated_hemoglobin)

It's measured using its own assay, not from an average on your blood glucose meter. It's supposed to be an average up to 90 days ago (Red Blood Cells live about 120 days, IIRC), but the common convention is that the HbA1c is weighted toward the last 30 days in a cycle.

[kgm0612]

Duck's post above answers the question that you asked. I just wanted to congratulate you on an excellent A1c of 5.2!

Karen

[nneighbour]

It's not official, but it will give you an idea. I test 4 times a day (before meals and before bed) and using the following calculations I was able to figure my A1c at 4.95%, and the official A1c came back to be 5.0%. So you can get it to give you a pretty good idea.

HbA1c = (Mean Plasma Glucose mg/dl + 77.3) / 35.6
HbA1c = (Mean Plasma Glucose mmol/l + 4.29) / 1.98
Mean Plasma Glucose mg/dl = (HbA1c x 35.6) - 77.3)
Mean Plasma Glucose mmol/dl = (HbA1c x 1.98) - 4.29

[duck]

Duck's post above answers the question that you asked. I just wanted to congratulate you on an excellent A1c of 5.2!

Karen

Oops. :ashamed: I meant to say the same, that is an excellent A1c!

[Cyborg]

Now how and the heck am I going to get my a1c that low! :motz:

Congratulations ;)

[shoop99]

thanks, I try hard to keep my bs as normal as possible. Ive had diabetes for about a year and half now. Still have a million questions.

[duck]

thanks, I try hard to keep my bs as normal as possible. Ive had diabetes for about a year and half now. Still have a million questions.

I've had diabetes for 17 years and have a million questions as well...:T

[sparrow1]

It's not official, but it will give you an idea. I test 4 times a day (before meals and before bed) and using the following calculations I was able to figure my A1c at 4.95%, and the official A1c came back to be 5.0%. So you can get it to give you a pretty good idea.

HbA1c = (Mean Plasma Glucose mg/dl + 77.3) / 35.6
HbA1c = (Mean Plasma Glucose mmol/l + 4.29) / 1.98
Mean Plasma Glucose mg/dl = (HbA1c x 35.6) - 77.3)
Mean Plasma Glucose mmol/dl = (HbA1c x 1.98) - 4.29

That is so cool. I've saved it on my BG Averages spreadsheet. Can't wait to see if it works for me. Won't know until June. Thanks.