Home 5 Clinical Diagnostics Insider 5 HbA1c Overtesting Common in Stable, Diabetic Patients

HbA1c Overtesting Common in Stable, Diabetic Patients

by | Jan 1, 2016 | Clinical Diagnostics Insider, Diagnostic Testing and Emerging Technologies

More than 60 percent of adults with stable and controlled type 2 diabetes receive too many glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) tests, according to a study published online Dec. 8, 2015 in the British Medical Journal. The researchers say this excessive testing leads to potential overtreatment, waste of health care resources, and increased patient burden in diabetes management. “Clinically unnecessary testing can have detrimental effects for both the patient and the health care system,” write the authors led by Rozalina McCoy, M.D., from the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minn.) “Excessive tests can cause unnecessary patient discomfort and anxiety, and because of the potential for false positive results caused by expected short-term biological and analytical variability of the HbA1c test, they can increase the risk of further needless testing … and treatment change.” While redundant HbA1c testing has been previously identified as a problem, previous studies did not differentiate patients by level of glycemic monitoring needed. (Testing is recommended more frequently in those newly diagnosed, with variable glycemic control, receiving intensive insulin treatment, or undergoing treatment changes). The patients in this study had no history that would warrant intensive monitoring. A national administrative claims database of 31,545 U.S. commercially insured adults (2001 to 2013) […]

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