Relationship Between Hematocrit and HbA1C as Indicators of Glycemic Control in Diabetes Mellitus
Yuke Andriane, Sara Puspita, Ratna Damailia, Fajar Awalia Yulianto

Faculty of Medicine Universitas Islam Bandung

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by elevated blood sugar levels that can damage various organs, including the heart, blood vessels, kidneys, and nerves. Diagnosing DM typically involves assessing blood glucose levels and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), which reflects average glucose levels over the past 2 to 3 months. HbA1c testing has limitations, particularly due to high costs and availability issues in some laboratories in Indonesia. Hematology parameters are crucial in diagnosing patients. Slower glycosylation and elevated HbA1c levels can lead to functional and structural changes in hemoglobin, increasing erythrocyte viscosity and leading to cell osmotic disturbances. Specific hematological parameters may indicate inflammation associated with DM. The research aims to analyze the correlation between hematocrit and HbA1C to identify alternative tests for predicting glycemic status in resource-limited healthcare settings. It analyzes the correlation between hematocrit and HbA1c as indicators of glycemic status from 603 type 2 diabetes patients. The results indicate that hematocrit has a positive and statistically significant correlation with HbA1c (positive linear regression coefficient), although the correlation is very small. An increase of 1 unit of hematocrit is associated with a rise of 0,03 units of HbA1c. This finding suggests that hematocrit can be used to predict glycemic status in patients with DM. Healthcare providers in facilities with limited resources can utilize this information to improve patient care.

Keywords: Key words: type 2 DM, HbA1c, hematological parameters, hematocrit

Topic: Degenerative Disease