Glycosylated haemoglobin and one-hour oral glucose screen for gestational diabetes

ABSTRACT

A prospective study was undertaken to evaluate the use of glycosylated haemoglobin [Hb A[1]] as a screening tool for the detection of gestational diabetes in 30 women. At 24 - 38 weeks, these patients had an Hb A[1] determination prior to diabetes secreening with a 1-hour serum glucose after 50 gm of oral glucose load. 27 out of 30 [90%] high-risk women had normal I-hour serum glucose [< 140 mg%]. 13 out of these 27 women [48.15%] had an abnormal Hb A[1] [>8.8%]. 3 out of 30 [10%] high-risk women had abnormal 1-hour glucose screen. All of them had abnormal Hb A[1]. So abnormal Hb A1 had been documented in 16 out of 30 [53.33%] studied risk cases. It can be concluded that Hb A[1] screen is more reliable than I-hour glucose screen