Hemoglobin is an iron-containing molecule in red blood cells responsible for transporting oxygen around the body. Glucose can bind irreversibly to hemoglobin via a process known as glycation. Hemoglobin that has glucose attached is known as glycated hemoglobin, often abbreviated to HbA1c or simply A1c.

Red blood cells have a life span of 120 days (three months), so measuring the level of glycated hemoglobin in blood effectively shows the average blood glucose level for the previous 6-8 weeks. In conjunction with regular blood glucose monitoring, A1c tests can aid care providers in determining if a patient’s treatment plan needs altering in any way to control blood glucose levels better.

Quo-Test® analyzers and tests are calibrated, and quality-controlled using European Reference Laboratory-supplied materials and are traceable to the IFCC reference method. In an effort to standardize glycated hemoglobin results the AACC established the “National Glycohemoglobin Standardization Program” (NGSP) in 1996. In parallel the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry (IFCC) developed reference methods for glycated hemoglobin. In 2006 and 2007, an international consensus between IFCC and AACC was agreed upon. The calibration and certification of laboratories and manufacturers to the same standards have improved the conformity of the results. However, in practice, differences can still be observed between technologies as well as between individual systems either because of the heterogeneity of hemoglobins, underlying different technologies (e.g., ion exchange, boronate affinity, immunoassay due to calibration drifts, or lot-to-lot variability. This may result in differences in reported values. EKF Diagnostics follows the recommendations of the IFCC and NGSP to ensure that EKF instruments and reagents are accurately aligned and traceable to the reference method. See www.ngsp.org for more information.

Quo-Test® uses boronate fluorescence quenching, a unique, patented technology, to deliver HbA1c results in four minutes. The video (above) demonstrates how boronate fluorescence quenching technology measures glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) from whole blood samples.

What is the advantage of Boronate Fluorescence Quenching Technology (BFQT). Based on well-documented boronate affinity for glycated hemoglobin, BFQT performs similarly to the boronate affinity chromatography systems used in reference laboratories. Because BFQT does not require chromatographic separation, the methodology allows for fast, simple and accurate point of care HbA1c measurement.