Comparison of Glycated Hemoglobin (HbA1c) Values Estimated by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography and Spectrophotometry: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Background Invasive blood sample collection followed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) based analysis is the gold standard for estimating glycated hemoglobin level or HbA1c currently. Spectrophotometry could be an alternative that holds the potential to be translated into a portable, non-invasive device for glycated hemoglobin level estimation. This study compares HbA1c values obtained from HPLC and spectrophotometry. Methods Venous blood samples were collected from both diabetic and non-diabetic participants in a cross-sectional study. The samples were subjected to both HPLC and spectrophotometry-based estimation of HbA1c%. The results obtained were compared, and the relationship between the two estimations were assessed. Results About 15 diabetic and non-diabetic individuals participated in the study and 28 samples were included in the final analysis. The Pearson’s correlation coefficient was 0.65 (95% CI, 0.37-0.82), indicating that there was a strong positive association. This was further supported by the findings from linear regression analysis with a p-value of <0.001. Conclusions The positive correlation between the HPLC and spectrophotometric values supports the hypothesis that spectrophotometry could be an alternative to conventional HPLC for the measurement of HbA1c. This needs to be further validated through larger, well-powered studies.