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Monthly hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels wax and wane depending on the time of year.New According to a new report this is particularly so in areas with cold winters.
Dr. Chin-Lin Tseng, the lead investigator stated that, "our results confirm other studies regarding the seasonality of variation in A1c levels and showed that hemoglobin A1c values are higher during winter, especially in colder climates."
Dr. Tseng of the East Orange VA Medical Center, New Jersey and colleagues studied monthly HbA1c levels over a 2-year period among more than 285,000 United States military veterans.
HbA1c levels were approximately 0.22 units higher in January to April compared with July to October, the authors report, with values increasing in late autumn and decreasing in the spring. Seasonal HbA1c patterns were similar for all subpopulations when divided by sex, race, age, and insulin usage.
Seasonal variations in HbA1c were most pronounced in areas having the lowest temperature extremes during the winter, the researchers note. In fact, there were no significant seasonal variations in areas with the lowest temperatures above 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
"The study demonstrated that the elevations of A1c are probably not related to holiday dietary indiscretion, but rather to colder ambient temperatures during winter," Dr. Tseng pointed out. "Individual persons with diabetes might want to be more proactive in evaluating their glycemic control during winter months, especially in colder climates, but treatment recommendations are premature at this point."
Am J Epidemiol 2005;161:565-574.
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