ADA Recommendations

A1C

• Perform the A1C test at least two times a year in patients who are meeting treatment goals (and who have stable glycemic control).
• Perform the A1C test quarterly in patients whose therapy has changed or who are not meting glycemic goals.
• Use of point-of-care testing for A1C allow for timely decisions on therapy changes, when needed.

Glycemic Gloals in Adults

• Lowering A1C to below or around 7% has been shown to reduce microvascular and neuropathic complications of type 1 and type 2 diabetes.  Therefore, for microvascular disease prevention, the A1C goal for nonpregnant adults in general is <7%.

Reference: American Diabetes Association Clinical Practice Recommendations: Executive Summary: Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes - 2010 Diabetes Care 2010;33, suppl.1: S4-5.    

HbA1c Recommended for Diagnosis

The ADA Clinical Practice Recommendations now recommend using HbA1c to diagnose diabetes using a NGSP-certified method and a cutoff of HbA1c ≥6.5%. POC assay methods are not recommended for diagnosis.

A1C or "the A1C test"

The National Diabetes Education Program and major clinical diabetes organizations including the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, the American Society of Clinical Endocrinologists and the American Diabetes Association recommend use of the term A1C or "the A1C test" to describe HbA1c in clinical practice.