2010 Consensus Statement on the Worldwide Standardization of the Hemoglobin A1C Measurement

G lycated hemoglobin concentrations (most commonly hemoglobin A1C; HbA1c) reflect time-averaged blood glucose during the previous 2–3 months and are used as the gold standard for longterm follow-up of glycemic control. Standardization with common calibration was first proposed in 1984 (1). It was only after the publication of the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) study in 1993 (2), however, that the issue of international standardization of HbA1c measurements became an important objective for scientists and clinicians. At that time, the lack of international standardization resulted in several countries developing National standardization programs; most notable of these are: