Evaluation of capillary collection system for HbA1c specimens

• Published in: Diabetes care Vol. 15; no. 5; pp. 700 - 701
• Main Authors: VOSS, E. M, CEMBROWSKI, G. S, CLASEN, B. L, SPENCER, M. L, AINSLIE, M. B, HAIG, B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Alexandria, VA American Diabetes Association 01-05-1992
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Blood Specimen Collection - methods; Capillaries; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Diabetes. Impaired glucose tolerance; Endocrine pancreas. Apud cells (diseases); Endocrinopathies; Glycated Hemoglobin A - analysis; Humans; Management. Various non-drug treatments. Langerhans islet grafts; Medical sciences; Reference Values; Endocrinopathy; Performance evaluation; Human; Glycemic control; Surveillance; Hemoglobin A1c; Diabetes mellitus; Samplings; HPLC chromatography; Apparatus; Capillary blood
• ISSN: 0149-5992; 1935-5548
• DOI: 10.2337/diacare.15.5.700

Evaluation of capillary collection system for HbA1c specimens.
E M Voss ,
G S Cembrowski ,
B L Clasen ,
M L Spencer ,
M B Ainslie and
B Haig
Park Nicollet Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN 55416.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE--We evaluated the accuracy and stability of a capillary HbA1c collection system for use with a high-performance
liquid chromatography analyzer. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS--The collection system requires that 5 ul blood is drawn into
a calibrated capillary tube, which is then placed into a vial of stabilizing solution and sent for analysis. The study was
conducted on simultaneously drawn capillary and venous blood specimens from 47 pediatric diabetes patients. Accuracy was determined
by comparing the capillary to the venous HbA1c values. Stability was measured by analyzing 17 capillary specimens over 3 wk.
RESULTS--There was excellent agreement between the capillary and venous HbA1c values (capillary 0.959, venous +0.494, R2 =
98.7%). The capillary HbA1c values were 0.2% higher than the venous HbA1c values and decreased gradually over time (0.1% HbA1c/week)
when stored at room temperature. CONCLUSIONS--The Bio-Rad (Richmond, CA) collection system is accurate, stable, and simple
to use.