How can you work out HBA1c by using your BG averages? Is it possible?

Just a reminder that your 'capillary' (finger-prick) BG tests and HbA1c are measuring completely different things so it's not really possible to apply a formula to work it out, however if you refer to the course handbook, that does give a very rough guide to your HbA1c and how it might relate to your overall BG levels.

The reporting of HbA1c has also changed, so you will be seeing the phasing out of the '%' results, to be replaced with 'mmol/mol', therefore if you have a HbA1c of 8% that will now be reported as 64mmol/mol.


Blood Glucose Range HbA1c Result
% mmol/mol
Under 7mmol/l (non-diabetic) Less than 6.0 Less than 42

Mostly under 10mmol/l 6.0 42
7.0 53
Frequently over 10mmol/l 8.0 64
9.0 75
10.0 86
11.0 97
12.0 108
Mostly over 17mmol/l Over 13 Over 119

Carolin

Blood Glucose Range HbA1c Result
% mmol/mol
Under 7mmol/l (non-diabetic) Less than 6.0 Less than 42

Mostly under 10mmol/l 6.0 42
7.0 53
Frequently over 10mmol/l 8.0 64
9.0 75
10.0 86
11.0 97
12.0 108
Mostly over 17mmol/l Over 13 Over 119

I think the formula came from a calculated observation/relationship between the finger test averages and the HbA1c test result....

As I say, so far its not been correct, but definitely close, the more reading you have the more accurate it may become..........

I understood that your HBA1c was a measure of the amount of "sugar" attached to newly produced blood cells from your bone marrow. Hence it being a reflection of your levels over 3 months as your new blood cells last 3 months.

So whilst an average daily reading is a good indicator of what your hba1c will be, it'll never be a true reflection.

Especially as you might test yourself within you 4ish hour window of eating, thus skewing your readings.

Does any of that make sense??!!

Nikki H-C said:
So whilst an average daily reading is a good indicator of what your hba1c will be, it'll never be a true reflection.

novorapidboi26 said:

Nikki H-C said:
So whilst an average daily reading is a good indicator of what your hba1c will be, it'll never be a true reflection.

I would agree with your statement.........

I dont understand your 4 hours comment though..........the more readings the better......

If a CGM was 100% accurate, I believe the formula mentioned could get pretty close to the actual HbA1c

The in between meal times are relevant as your BG is higher, sometimes its lower, so your BG at every hour of the day contributes to the amount of glucose that sticks to the blood cells....if you test at the peak then its a more truthful, accurate average inst it

How high do you go before exercise? I try to be on target before exercise or at the higher end, otherwise my BG would rise.......

The more I think about this, the more I'm inclined to just test my BG as I do, keep control, and wait for hopefully some good news at every review! I guess using the average BG readings on the DAFNE online diary will give you some sort of pointer to what expect, and tbh I am just enjoying re-learning what my body's doing after a period of little BG awareness!

Carolin has asked me to post the table below from the new handbook ( available online shortly) that she thinks will help. It basically what she posted on this thread previously but laid-out in the same way as the handbook.



(if you are reading this in an email, it won't display properly. You can only view it on the site)

HBA1C 7.2 wooohoooo my best ever HBA1c in 12years...

i recently had a blood test done just to check my HBA1c if it had improved and i am glad that in just over 6 weeks my HBA1c has come down from 11, to 7.2!

really greatful that i had the chance to go on to the DAFNE course, its changed my thinking on diabetes completly, and allows me to have more freedom.

thank you to all the people who replied to my question when i had posted it, all the information was usefull