A study has been undertaken whereby HbA1c changes over more than 3 years were evaluated in type 1 diabetic patients who were younger than 18 years and correlated with measures of weather conditions (ambient temperature, hours of sunshine and solar irradiance). The conclusion was that seasonal changes of HbA1c levels in schoolchildren with type 1 diabetes are a significant phenomenon and should be considered in patient education and diabetes management. They may potentially affect the results of clinical trials using HbA1c levels as their primary outcome, as well as HbA1c-based diagnosis of diabetes.
A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: “I knew it!” — Sue Marshall
