The true value of HbA1c as a predictor of diabetic complications: simulations of HbA1c variables
Artikel i vetenskaplig tidskrift, 2009

Aim The updated mean HbA1c has been used in risk estimates of diabetic complications, but it does not take into account the temporal relationship between HbA1c and diabetic complications. We studied whether the updated mean HbA1c underestimated the risk of diabetic complications. Method Continuous HbA1c curves for 10,000 hypothetical diabetes patients were simulated over an average of 7 years. Simulations were based on HbA1c values encountered in clinical practice. We assumed that each short time interval of the continuous HbA1c curves had a long-lasting effect on diabetic complications, as evidenced by earlier studies. We tested several different HbA1c variables including various profiles, e.g. different duration, of such a long-lasting effect. The predictive power of these variables was compared with that of the updated mean HbA1c. Results The predictive power of the constructed HbA1c variables differed considerably compared to that of the updated mean HbA1c. The risk increase per standard deviation could be almost 100% higher for a constructed predictor than the updated mean HbA1c. Conclusions The importance of good glycemic control in preventing diabetic complications could have been underestimated in earlier hallmark studies by not taking the time-dependent effect of HbA1c into account.

Författare

Marcus Lind

Göteborgs universitet

Anders Odén

Chalmers, Matematiska vetenskaper, Matematisk statistik

Göteborgs universitet

Martin Fahlén

Kungälvs sjukhus

Björn Eliasson

Göteborgs universitet

PLoS ONE

1932-6203 (ISSN) 19326203 (eISSN)

Vol. 4 2 e4412

Ämneskategorier

Endokrinologi och diabetes

DOI

10.1371/journal.pone.0004412

Mer information

Skapat

2017-10-06