Could glycated hemoglobin be used as a diagnostic tool in diabetes mellitus?

The diagnosis of carbohydrate metabolism disturbances is often delayed in a number of individuals due to unsatisfactory reliability and inconvenience of the currently available diagnostic tests. Clinical and economic benefits of an early diagnosis of diabetes are generally acknowledged. However, it is estimated that almost 30% of subjects with diabetes are not aware of the disease, and moreover, they already have long-term complications of chronic hyperglycemia at diagnosis. That is why, an International Expert Committee recommended considering the use of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) testing in the diagnosis of this deleterious disease in nonpregnant individuals. This paper discusses the advantages and disadvantages of current methods used in the diagnosis of diabetes.