Racial Disparity in A1C Independent of Mean Blood Glucose in Children with Type 1 Diabetes

Overview

Journal Diabetes Care

Specialty Endocrinology

Date 2010 Feb 27

PMID 20185743

Citations 38

Authors

Jodi L Kamps

James M Hempe

Stuart A Chalew

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: Mean blood glucose (MBG) and MBG-independent factors both influence A1C levels. Race was related to A1C independent of MBG in adults. The goal of this study was to determine if racial disparity exists in A1C independent of MBG in children with diabetes.

Research Design And Methods: Participants included 276 children with type 1 diabetes. A1C and MBG were obtained from multiple clinic visits, and a hemoglobin glycation index (HGI) (an assessment of A1C levels independent of MBG) was calculated. A1C and HGI were analyzed controlling for age, diabetes duration, and MBG. RESULTS African Americans had statistically significantly higher A1C (9.1 +/- 0.1) and HGI (0.64 +/- 0.11) than Caucasians (A1C 8.3 +/- 0.1, HGI -0.15 +/- 0.07) independent of covariates.

Conclusions: Because of racial disparity in A1C, which is independent of MBG, we recommend that A1C and MBG be used together to make therapeutic decisions for children with diabetes.

Citing Articles

Ethnic disparities in HbA1c and hypoglycemia among youth with type 1 diabetes: beyond access to technology, social deprivation and mean blood glucose.

Pemberton J, Fang Z, Chalew S, Uday S BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care. 2025; 13(1).

PMID: 39863288 PMC: 11784428. DOI: 10.1136/bmjdrc-2024-004369.

Importance of the Hemoglobin Glycation Index for Risk of Cardiovascular and Microvascular Complications and Mortality in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes.

Lopes Cardoso C, Leite N, Salles G Endocrinol Metab (Seoul). 2024; 39(5):732-747.

PMID: 39402854 PMC: 11525700. DOI: 10.3803/EnM.2024.2001.

Can HbA1c Alone Be Safely Used to Guide Insulin Therapy in African Youth with Type 1 Diabetes?.

Piloya-Were T, Mungai L, Moran A, Yauch L, Christakis N, Zhang L Pediatr Diabetes. 2024; 2023.

PMID: 38706529 PMC: 11068332. DOI: 10.1155/2023/1179830.

Determination of Glucose-Independent Racial Disparity in HbA1c for Youth With Type 1 Diabetes in the Era of Continuous Glucose Monitoring.

Christakis N, Gioe M, Gomez R, Felipe D, Soros A, McCarter R J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2023; 19(1):72-79.

PMID: 37700590 PMC: 11688699. DOI: 10.1177/19322968231199113.

Disparities in Hemoglobin A1c Levels in the First Year After Diagnosis Among Youths With Type 1 Diabetes Offered Continuous Glucose Monitoring.

Addala A, Ding V, Zaharieva D, Bishop F, Adams A, King A JAMA Netw Open. 2023; 6(4):e238881.

PMID: 37074715 PMC: 10116368. DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.8881.

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