Diabetes

Diabetes is a group of chronic conditions linked by the body’s inability to produce enough insulin or to respond to insulin. This causes hyperglycemia and can lead to a number of acute and chronic health problems, including kidney disease, retinopathy and cardiovascular events. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 30 million people in the US have diabetes, and the disease is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States.

Diagnosing and Managing Diabetes

Blood testing from BioReference® can be used to diagnose and monitor diabetes and to detect potential complications in diabetic patients.  We offer various tests and panels, such as blood glucose and glucose tolerance tests, hemoglobin A1c, eAG (estimated average glucose), various cholesterol and lipid panels, urinalysis with microalbuminuria and more.

Glycemic Variability

Nearly 40% of diabetes patients under “good control” have significant glycemic variability. Glycemic variability is a measurement of fluctuations in glucose levels, and defines the range of hyperglycemic and hypoglycemic values within an individual. Patients may have undetected glycemic variability because the glucose highs and lows offset each other, producing an average HbA1c level that suggests good control. Glycemic variability has been shown to be associated with higher rates of repeat cardiovascular events, retinopathy in type 2 diabetes and an increased risk of microvascular complications. Gaining a clearer understanding of the glucose dynamics within an individual can allow better treatment of a patient’s diabetes and limit comorbidities.

Measuring 1,5-anhydroglucitol (1,5-AG)

GlycoMark is a non-fasting blood test that measures 1,5-anhydroglucitol (1,5-AG), a specific indicator of hyperglycemic episodes and glycemic variability. The test provides an indication of whether a patient has had recent hyperglycemic episodes, and the results are related to the average daily maximum glucose level over a one- to two-week period. By revealing a patient’s true glycemic variability, the test allows healthcare provider to provide more personalized care and better management of patients’ diabetes therapy.