Exactly same HBA1C test result over 4 months

[paul.a.thompson]

I've had exactly the same HBA1C result of 55.2 mmol/mol for the last 3 tests over a 4 month period. This seems unlikely has anyone had this happen to them. Particularly as I stopped taking Gliclazide in this period.

 

[JITR]

Statistically it's possible but unlikely. I would raise it with your GPs, or whoever requested the tests, and ask for another one.

 

[paul.a.thompson]

Statistically it's possible but unlikely. I would raise it with your GPs, or whoever requested the tests, and ask for another one.

Hi thanks, I've raised with GP and they've agreed a re-test next week. In talking to them they clearly believe that the results are correct rather than something is wrong with the process. Statistically I think the probability of having the same 55.2 mmol/mol result on 7th March, 6th May and 5th Jun is if not zero is pretty close.

 

[Leadinglights]

Hi thanks, I've raised with GP and they've agreed a re-test next week. In talking to them they clearly believe that the results are correct rather than something is wrong with the process. Statistically I think the probability of having the same 55.2 mmol/mol result on 7th March, 6th May and 5th Jun is if not zero is pretty close.

HbA1C is not normally quoted with a decimal point in the result, the test is not that accurate. But whether you would expect the same result in tests that are so close together depends on what you have been doing.
Your march test would be covering Dec, Jan and Feb, the May test covering Feb, March, April and the June test March, April and May so a fair bit of overlap. It is normal to have at least a 3 month gap between tests to reflect changes made.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

It’s quite unusual to have repeated HbA1c checks so close together because of the ‘overlap’ @leading lights describes.

Some of the reds blood cells from previous tests will still be in circulation during the later results, so a degree of similarity between the HbA1cs is almost to be expected.

HbA1c is slightly ‘weighted’ towards recent weeks, but one of its strengths is that is captures a wider (less immediate) picture.

It’s more common to have HbA1c checks spaced 3-6 months apart 🙂

 

[Docb]

Hi thanks, I've raised with GP and they've agreed a re-test next week. In talking to them they clearly believe that the results are correct rather than something is wrong with the process. Statistically I think the probability of having the same 55.2 mmol/mol result on 7th March, 6th May and 5th Jun is if not zero is pretty close.

The odds of getting three identical credible results results are low but somewhere in amongst all those millions being tested, it will happen to somebody. Could be you are that somebody.

In statistics its called the lottery effect.....the odds of winning the lottery are incredibly low but if you can sell enough tickets, somewhere somebody body will win it.

 

[rebrascora]

Like @Leadinglights I have not had an HbA1c quoted to a decimal place either, always a whole number. Were these NHS tests or private? It seems very odd indeed both to have 3 HbA1c results quoted to a decimal place as well as them all being identical. If NHS, are you getting them from the NHS app or has the doctor told you the results?

 

[JITR]

A possibility is the tests came out as HbA1c percentages around 7.0% and then converted as such to mmol/mol.

 

[paul.a.thompson]

It’s quite unusual to have repeated HbA1c checks so close together because of the ‘overlap’ @leading lights describes.

Some of the reds blood cells from previous tests will still be in circulation during the later results, so a degree of similarity between the HbA1cs is almost to be expected.

HbA1c is slightly ‘weighted’ towards recent weeks, but one of its strengths is that is captures a wider (less immediate) picture.

It’s more common to have HbA1c checks spaced 3-6 months apart 🙂

Hi, I've only recently been diagnosed with Type 2 hence the more frequent tests to check HbA1c was reducing. My results are 126 mmol/mol on 19th Nov, 108 on 11th Dec, 73.8 on the 14th Jan, 55.2 on 7th March, 55.2 on 6th May and 55.2 again on 5th June. The last 3 tests were in order to see the impact of reducing my Gliclazide from 80mg to zero. Given the removal of Gliclazide it is therefore very odd that the HbA1c remained exactly the same. I was wondering if this had happened to anybody else.

 

[paul.a.thompson]

Like @Leadinglights I have not had an HbA1c quoted to a decimal place either, always a whole number. Were these NHS tests or private? It seems very odd indeed both to have 3 HbA1c results quoted to a decimal place as well as them all being identical. If NHS, are you getting them from the NHS app or has the doctor told you the results?

Hi, the results are from my GP surgery and also on line the test being done by NHS and available on the NHS App.

 

[paul.a.thompson]

A possibility is the tests came out as HbA1c percentages around 7.0% and then converted as such to mmol/mol.

Could be the case 7.2% is 55.2. I would however have expected some variation in the percentage value anyway. 7.1% is 54.1

 

[paul.a.thompson]

The odds of getting three identical credible results results are low but somewhere in amongst all those millions being tested, it will happen to somebody. Could be you are that somebody.

In statistics its called the lottery effect.....the odds of winning the lottery are incredibly low but if you can sell enough tickets, somewhere somebody body will win it.

Could be the case but the results aren't statistically independent and previous values were 126,108 and 74 add this to my meds being changed between first 55.2 reading and last I would have more chance of winning the lottery. Yours PT B.Sc (Hons) Mathematics.

 

[Eddy Edson]

I would bet a small amount of money it's a reporting screw-up.

My instinct is to distrust a lab which reports HbA1c in mmol/mol with a spurious decimal point.

 

[JITR]

Let us know when you get to the bottom of it.

 

[Docb]

Whatever the reason for the three identical results, and if it is assumed that they are in the right ball park, some congratulations are due with respect to the overall drop in HbA1c that you have achieved since November. What approach did you use?

When I stopped taking gliclazide on DN's advice I noticed a small but distinct increase in blood glucose levels all round. Might be the same for you but as with most things diabetes you need to take care when predicting things.

 

[Leadinglights]

It looks to be a positive result to maintain a steady level when you have stopped taking one of the medications. If you are not taking gliclazide then you have more options to reduce your carb intake to drop your HbA1C down a bit more.

 

[JITR]

Hi, I've only recently been diagnosed with Type 2 hence the more frequent tests to check HbA1c was reducing. My results are 126 mmol/mol on 19th Nov, 108 on 11th Dec, 73.8 on the 14th Jan, 55.2 on 7th March, 55.2 on 6th May and 55.2 again on 5th June. The last 3 tests were in order to see the impact of reducing my Gliclazide from 80mg to zero. Given the removal of Gliclazide it is therefore very odd that the HbA1c remained exactly the same. I was wondering if this had happened to anybody else.

You also need to allow for what was happening. Your HbA1 'run rate' on 14 Jan itself would have been significantly less than 55.2, as 55.2 is 2-4 month sort of average. Therefore 55.2 on 7 March reflects the effect of a reduced level of Glicazide leading to a rise in HbA1c. Presumably a similar compensation took place between 6 May and 5 June.

Maybe those numbers don't matter as much as what you can do by way of diet and exercise to get your HbA1c down still further. Hopefully to less than 48.0 and 42.0 in due course.

 

[Drummer]

Just a thought - some labs refuse to redo tests if they believe they are not justified - I have read of repeat HbA1c tests being 'unallowed' even when requested by a GP - I wonder if the lab is simply reporting back the first result in subsequent months until they deem it worth their while to comply with the request.

 

[paul.a.thompson]

Just a thought - some labs refuse to redo tests if they believe they are not justified - I have read of repeat HbA1c tests being 'unallowed' even when requested by a GP - I wonder if the lab is simply reporting back the first result in subsequent months until they deem it worth their while to comply with the request.

Thanks for that. My GPs seem to be reluctant to go back to the testing lab. They've agreed to do another test next week so we'll see what that comes back with and take it from there. The medics seem to be wedded to the 3 month interval which is ok if you've got to a stable HbA1c but if not then a test to make sure you're going in the right direction is good. I've talked to people who like me had very high blood sugar who were refused a test before 3 months only to find the HbA1c hadn't changed and they'd wasted 3 months and had more nerve damage etc for their pains.

 

[harbottle]

Just a thought - some labs refuse to redo tests if they believe they are not justified - I have read of repeat HbA1c tests being 'unallowed' even when requested by a GP - I wonder if the lab is simply reporting back the first result in subsequent months until they deem it worth their while to comply with the request.

If a healthcare professional has requested a test, labs can only refuse to do it if the sample has been damaged, or if they have not got the resources or think a different test might be better. I doubt they would send back an old result!