Glycaemic Status Panel

Are you constantly thirsty, urinating frequently or tired, or does diabetes run in your family? The Glycaemic Status Panel shows two things from one blood collection: your blood sugar at sampling and its average over the past two to three months. This helps establish whether glucose is normal, prediabetes is present or there are signs of diabetes.

Who is this panel for

• people with increased thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, unexplained weight loss, frequent infections or slow wound healing;
• people with excess weight, high blood pressure or high blood lipids;
• people whose parents, brothers or sisters have type 2 diabetes;
• women who had gestational diabetes or have polycystic ovary syndrome;
• adults aged 35 onwards as part of preventive checks;
• people with prediabetes or previously borderline glucose, for regular follow-up;
• people treated for diabetes, for monitoring.

What the panel reveals

• Fasting glucose (GUK) shows blood sugar at sampling. It changes from day to day and responds to stress, illness and medicines.
• HbA1c (glycated haemoglobin) shows average blood sugar over the past two to three months. It does not change because of one meal or dieting for a few days before testing.

The two tests complement each other. Without clear symptoms, diabetes is diagnosed only when two results are high; these may be fasting glucose and HbA1c from the same sample. Read more about the criteria in the article The role of HbA1c testing in diagnosing diabetes.

The test and preparation

The sample is venous blood, and collection takes a few minutes. Because of glucose, come fasting in the morning:

• do not eat for 8 to 12 hours before sampling; plain water is allowed, but avoid coffee, tea, juice and chewing gum until sampling;
• avoid alcohol and exhausting exercise the day before and do not smoke in the morning;
• state which medicines you take at blood collection; if you are treated for diabetes, agree with your doctor how to take treatment and bring something to eat afterwards.

What your results mean

Cut-offs for adults, excluding pregnant women, according to the World Health Organization and American Diabetes Association (ADA):

• Normal: fasting glucose below 6,1 mmol/L (below 5,6 according to ADA) and HbA1c below 39 mmol/mol (5,7 %).
• Prediabetes: fasting glucose 6,1 to 6,9 mmol/L or HbA1c 39 to 47 mmol/mol (5,7–6,4 %). Diabetes risk is increased; dietary changes, more physical activity and losing excess weight can reduce it significantly.
• Diabetes: fasting glucose 7,0 mmol/L or higher, or HbA1c 48 mmol/mol (6,5 %) or higher. If both results exceed the cut-off, a doctor may consider this confirmation of diagnosis. If only one is high, the doctor usually repeats it or requests a glucose tolerance test.
• In people receiving treatment HbA1c is ideally below 53 mmol/mol (7 %) for most adults, but a doctor sets the target individually.

HbA1c may be falsely high or low in anaemia, after blood loss or transfusion, in kidney disease and pregnancy. Reference intervals are printed on the report; a doctor interprets the result alongside symptoms. If very high glucose is accompanied by vomiting, rapid breathing, marked sleepiness or confusion, call 194 or 112 immediately.

How to arrange testing

You can come for blood collection without an appointment or referral at one of our branches throughout Croatia (listed on the Contact). Come fasting in the morning. Prices for all tests and panels are listed in the price list.

Frequently asked questions

Can HbA1c be tested without fasting?

Yes; HbA1c alone needs no preparation. Come fasting for this panel nevertheless, because glucose is interpreted as a fasting value.

What if my glucose is normal but HbA1c is high?

The tests measure different periods, so they do not always agree. A doctor checks for reasons for a misleading HbA1c, such as anaemia, and may repeat tests or suggest a glucose tolerance test.

How often should glycaemic status be repeated?

Usually annually for prediabetes; for diabetes, HbA1c every three to six months. With normal results and risk factors, checks are usually repeated every few years, as agreed with a doctor.

Is the panel suitable for pregnant women?

Lower cut-offs apply in pregnancy, and gestational diabetes is detected through a pregnancy glucose tolerance test. Your gynaecologist will decide which tests you need.