Evaluation of HbA1C results in an external quality assessment scheme in South Africa

Background: Measuring HbA1c blood levels allows us to assess average glycaemia in individuals during the preceding 6-8 weeks. There is a clear association between increasing risk of complications with higher HbA1c values and a significant risk reduction of the complications with lower HbA1c values. Methods: The performance of South African laboratories in an External Quality Assurance scheme for HbA1c is reported. Conclusions: A number of laboratories and methods do not meet the required analytical standards. South African laboratories should adopt measures similar to other regional and national initiatives to significantly improve laboratory performance and bring about harmonization of HbA1c assays. © 2003 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.