title: Accuracy, patient acceptance and clinical application of capillary HbA1c monitoring.
abstract: HbA1c values in capillary blood (50 microliters) were compared with venous samples, assayed by HPLC (normal less than 6.6%) in 64 Type 1 and Type 2 diabetic patients. One group (n = 43) collected capillary blood in the Outpatient Department simultaneously with a venous sample. The capillary sample collection was not supervised. A second group (n = 21) obtained two capillary samples during routine home blood glucose monitoring in Unistep containers within 2 days of the venous sample and posted them to the laboratory with a questionnaire about the ease of use and acceptance of the method. In the home collection group, 97% returned samples, there were no postal losses, and 75% returned questionnaires. Although 18% of patients had difficulty collecting the samples, all preferred the Unistep method to venepuncture. Correlation of capillary and venous samples was good for patients (r = 0.97, n = 53). The mean absolute difference between the two methods was 0.36 +/- 0.04 (+/- SE) %Hb. Eleven samples had to be excluded (insufficient blood; samples undated). The standard deviation for capillary duplicates was 0.14%, at a mean of 8.7%. During laboratory storage capillary HbA1c was initially slightly higher than corresponding venous values with some decrease (7.7% to 7.2%) over 7 days. HbA1c values in home-collected samples are accurate and reproducible when compared with venous samples assayed by HPLC, and the method was acceptable to patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, St. Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Dunning
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weberruss
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Ward
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002196:Capillaries / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014680:Veins
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin