A1C as diagnostic tool

I was reading this article on CNN yesterday...

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/06/08/diabetes.screening.a1c/index.html?iref=newssearch

and I just was thinking to myself that this was a little behind.  I'm certainly no expert but my physician definitely used my A1C test as the diagnostic tool for me.  As I was reading this article, it was seemed like it was announcing A1C testing as some new breakthrough tool or process to use.  It seemed like an outdated pointless article to me, but maybe that's just my opinion.

Matt,

Many times, the media don’t do proper research…    I was reading an article recently (from a major magazine) that stated “An insulin pump is a device that is permanently implanted…”  This and other mistakes made it clear they’d written a lot after skimming a little bit of material.

The outlook that has kept me from going nutty with most publications is that I expect little from the information I get out of the major news sources.  I do try to follow up with my own research to make sure I have a more complete picture. 

With regard to this article, however, the reporters are on target.  The A1C has been used as an evaluation and management tool for some time.  The use is what is different here.   They are talking about using the A1C instead of fingersticks to diagnose new diabetics.  I suspect they are hoping to catch more type 2’s more quickly since they can easily have “good days” where their sugars are fine – they’d pass their finger stick and go home while their systems underwent more time without any of the treatment they need.

Thanks for posting this, it is an interesting read and it was something I’d missed!

Cheers!

A-D