Glycated Hemoglobin in 14,850 Adolescent Blood Donors: A Pilot Screening Program

Abstract

Substantial attention has been paid to the global epidemic of diabetes among adults, but much less data are available for adolescents. Given the recent endorsement by the American Diabetes Association of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) for diabetes screening (1), a pilot HbA1c screening program was implemented in adolescent blood donors by Carter BloodCare, the largest independent blood program in Texas. HbA1c was measured in 14,850 donors 16–19 years old during school blood drives conducted between 1 September 2011 and 30 April 2012. All donors gave informed consent. The main study measures were the prevalence of HbA1c levels in the prediabetes range (5.7–6.4%; 39–46 mmol/mol) and in the diabetes range (≥6.5%; ≥48 mmol/mol), with further stratification by sex, race/ethnicity, and sociodemographic characteristics. The cohort included 48.7% girls, 54.7% whites, 3.5% blacks, 24.6% Hispanics, 2.3% Asians, and 15% participants of other/unknown race/ethnicity. Table 1 presents cohort characteristics stratified by HbA1c category. The HbA1c level was above the diabetes threshold in 94 donors (0.6%), and in the prediabetes range in 1,479 donors (10%). View this table: Table 1 Sociodemographic characteristics and selected cardiovascular …