Trivitron Healthcare in association with Sebia hosts Symposium on HbA1c Measurement
Mumbai,
November 12, 2016 – Trivitron Healthcare, the largest medical technology company of Indian
origin, in association with Sebia hosted a Symposium on
the updates of HbA1c measurement to highlight the relevance of the topic. Today, HbA1c is one of the latest diagnostic
diabetes tools most nations have started adopting as a supplement to the
existing blood glucose test.
HbA1c is the glycated haemoglobin which
develops when haemoglobin, a protein within red blood cells that carries oxygen
throughout the body, joins with glucose in the blood, becoming 'glycated'. HbA1c
is measured primarily to identify the three-month average plasma glucose
concentration. By measuring glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), clinicians are able
to get an overall picture of what the average blood sugar levels have been over
a period of weeks/months. For people with diabetes, this is important as the
higher the HbA1c, the greater the risk of developing diabetes-related
complications. By measuring HbA1c, doctors get an overall picture of a
patient’s blood glucose level over a period of weeks/months. In contrast to the
regular fasting glucose test, which is an indication of one’s current glucose
levels, HbA1c is more accurate and serves as an overall marker of one’s average
levels over a longer time period.
With as many as 50 million people suffering
from type 2 diabetes (diabetes mellitus), India has more people living with the
disease than any other nation in the world. If left unattended and untreated,
diabetes can lead to severe health complications like heart disease, stroke,
kidney disorders, retinopathy (cause of blindness) neuropathy or nerve damage
leading to leg amputation and even blindness. As per the recent guidelines,
HbA1c should be added as a means of diagnosing diabetes and identifying
pre-diabetes.
A number of techniques are used to measure
hemoglobin A1c. The HbA1c result is calculated as a ratio to total hemoglobin
by using a chromatogram, Immunoassay, Enzymatic, Capillary Electrophoresis
& HPLC. There are many factors that may interfere with HbA1c measurement
like Uremia (carbamylated Hb), hemoglobin variants, drugs, opiates, bilirubin,
triglyceride, alcohol. Interference of most common variants HbS, HbC, HbE, HbD
has been a challenge to measure accurate value of HbA1c.
Speaking
on the occasion, Mr David Sacks, Expert in Clinical Chemistry said, “Considering the importance of diabetes as a major health
issue globally, timely diagnosis and early initiation of appropriate treatment
need to be viewed as a key priority. HbA1c
is a proven method to make diagnosis more convenient, accurate and high-speed. Worldwide
1 in 2 people with diabetes is undiagnosed. It is the need of the hour to bring
in a diagnostic tool like HbA1c, which is known for delivering accurate results
in a short span of time, to be made more accessible and affordable to the
common man.”
Garry
John, Expert in Clinical Biochemistry and Immunology,
added, “Ever since the American Diabetes Association recommended HbA1c as a
diabetes diagnostic tool in its clinical practice recommendations (2010), many
other progressive nations including European countries followed suit. Countries
like New Zealand and more recently, Malayasia have also adopted HbA1c to be an
effective tool to reflect glucose levels. With the alarming incidence of
diabetes and diabetes-related health complications in India, it would be
beneficial the nation employs such efficient technologies for a better
management of the disease.”
Mr.
Nitin Sawant, Senior Vice President, Trivitron Healthcare said, “Diabetes is the most talked about
lifestyle disorder in India today. Declining rates of physical activity coupled
with an increasing eating-out culture has led to an early onset of diabetes in
many. However, with the right technology, we should be able to tackle the
menace more effectively. Trivitron has always stood for cutting-edge technology
which will enable cost-effective healthcare delivery solutions to the Indian
masses. With appropriate awareness on HbA1c, we hope we can promote this
globally-accepted technology as an efficient way to monitor diabetes accurately
in India too.”
This
symposium is an effort to inform, educate and share experiences to understand
the benefits on the importance of optimal Hba1c measurement and the way forward
in India.
Comments
Post a Comment