Tracked HbA1c: added value in diabetes diagnosis and monitoring

Glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) testing has become increasingly popular in both the diagnosis and management of diabetes mellitus and as such, many pathology laboratories have been forced to adopt various workflow optimisation solutions in order to meet the demand. Recognising this, Sysmex Corporation and Tosoh Bioscience have been working in Europe to develop an automation offering through the integration of the Tosoh’s HLC-723 G11 technology into Sysmex’s XN-9000 and newer XN-9100 systems. With its enhanced throughput, the Tosoh HLC-723 G11 specifically addresses the constantly increasing number of HbA1c samples and, as an integrated approach, laboratory workflow is optimised and pre- and post-analytical tasks are supported. The possibility of using a single consolidated EDTA tube per patient will help to save manual work, decrease costs and, most importantly, improve patient management.

Introduction

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major health issue and one of the fastest growing global health emergencies of the 21st century. In 2019 there were approximately 463 million people with the condition, and this is expected to increase to 700 million by 2045.¹ In the UK there are 4.7 million people diagnosed with diabetes, enough to fill Wembley Stadium more than 52 times, and the total spend on the NHS is at least £10 billion per annum.