Clinical Chemistry -- eLetters for Steffes et al., 51 (4) 753-758

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General Clinical Chemistry:
Michael Steffes, Patricia Cleary, David Goldstein, Randie Little, Hsiao-Mei Wiedmeyer, Curt Rohlfing, Jack England, Jean Bucksa, Maren Nowicki the DCCT/EDIC Research Group
Hemoglobin A_1c Measurements over Nearly Two Decades: Sustaining Comparable Values throughout the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial and the Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications Study
Clin Chem 2005; 51: 753-758 [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]

Electronic letters published:

A plea for consistency in nomenclature of the abbreviation for glycohemoglobin: Trefor N Higgins (2 June 2005)

A plea for consistency in nomenclature of the abbreviation for glycohemoglobin 2 June 2005

Trefor N Higgins,
Co Director of Clinical Chemistry
Dynacare Kasper Medical Laboratories
Send letter to journal:
Re: A plea for consistency in nomenclature of the abbreviation for glycohemoglobin

trefor.higgins{at}dkml.com Trefor N Higgins

A plea for consistency in nomenclature of the abbreviation for glycohemoglobin.
The April 2005 issue of Clinical Chemistry contains three different abbreviations for hemoglobin A1c. In the news item by Sacks (1) the abbreviation is HbA1c. In the article by Steffes et al (2) the abbreviation is the same except that "1c" is subscripted. In the Technical Brief by Roberts et al (3) the "1c" is subscripted and a space separates Hb from A1c.
Each style of abbreviation has advantages. The style used by Sacks is easier to type. The style used by Roberts follows conventional (though not universal) nomenclature for writing hemoglobin variants, whereas Steffes follows the less commonly used nomenclature for writing hemoglobin variants.
As authors,could we not come to one abbreviation? All are acceptable but we should be consistent.
Sincerely,
Trefor Higgins
References.
1. Sacks DB. Global harmonization of hemoglobin A1c. Clin Chem 2005; 4: 681-3.
2, Steffes M, Cleary P, Golstein D, Little R, Wiedmeyer H-M, Rohlfing R et a. Hemoglobin A1c measurements over nearly two decades: sustaining comparable values throughout the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial and the epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications Study. Clin Chem 2005; 4: 753-8.
3. Roberts WL, Safar-Pour S, De BK, Rohlfing CL, Weykamp CW and Little RR. Effects of hemoglobin C and S traits on glycohemoglobin measurements by eleven methods. Clin Chem 2005; 4: 776-8.