Accuracy of a Filter Paper Method for Measuring Glycosylated Hemoglobin

Objective: To compare glycosylated hemoglobin (GH) results obtained by filter paper fingerstick collection and mailed for assay by affinity chromatography with results from a venous sample assayed by ion-exchange chromatography (HbA1) in a local laboratory.

Research Design And Methods: Fifty-eight volunteer subjects with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), aged 5-24 yr, included patients at a referral-based IDDM clinic and subjects in an ongoing research study. We obtained two blood samples from each subject. One was collected by fingerstick onto filter paper, the other by venipuncture into a vacutainer. We sent filter paper samples to the Diabetes Research Laboratory (Univ. of Missouri, Columbia, MO) for analysis. Vacutainer samples were sent to the Clinical Chemistry Department of the Clinical Laboratory, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.

Results: Results were highly correlated (r = 0.89, P = 0.0001). Fifty-nine percent were classified identically when results were normalized to SD units and grouped to suggest levels of clinical concern.

Conclusions: The filter paper method is a convenient, accurate measure of glycosylated hemoglobin in young people with IDDM. It should be considered a credible alternative research and clinical tool.