[HEMOGLOBIN A1c AND THE QUALITY OF DIABETES CARE]

Area of Science:

• Clinical Chemistry
• Endocrinology
• Laboratory Medicine

Background:

• Diabetes mellitus represents a significant global health challenge.
• Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) is a key biomarker for assessing glycemic control and diabetes-related complication risk.
• HbA1c is increasingly utilized for diabetes diagnosis and treatment efficacy monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review essential analytical and clinical aspects for reliable HbA1c utilization in diabetes care.
• To assess the harmonization of Croatian laboratory and clinical practices with international standards for HbA1c testing.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of analytical and clinical aspects of HbA1c testing.
• Evaluation of current practices in relation to international guidelines and standards.

Main Results:

• High-quality analytical methods and understanding biological variability are critical for accurate HbA1c results.
• The review presents key factors influencing reliable HbA1c interpretation in clinical practice.
• The study assesses the alignment of Croatian practices with global standards for HbA1c measurement.

Conclusions:

• Reliable HbA1c testing requires standardized analytical methods and awareness of biological variability.
• Consistent application of HbA1c in diabetes care supports effective treatment and complication prevention.
• Harmonization with international standards is essential for quality diabetes management.