The effect of the Covid-19 shutdown on glycemic testing and control

Anu Sharma; Dina N. Greene; Allison B. Chambliss; Christopher W. Farnsworth; Deborah French; Daniel S. Herman; Peter A. Kavsak; Anna E. Merrill; Sheng Ying (Margaret) Lo; Martha E. Lyon; Gabrielle Winston-McPherson; Lauren N. Pearson; Jeffrey A. SoRelle; Avantika C. Waring; Robert L. Schmidt

doi:10.1016/j.cca.2021.04.018

The effect of the Covid-19 shutdown on glycemic testing and control

Anu Sharma, Dina N. Greene, Allison B. Chambliss, Christopher W. Farnsworth, Deborah French, Daniel S. Herman, Peter A. Kavsak, Anna E. Merrill, Sheng Ying (Margaret) Lo, Martha E. Lyon, Gabrielle Winston-McPherson, Lauren N. Pearson, Jeffrey A. SoRelle, Avantika C. Waring, Robert L. Schmidt

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused a halt to in-person ambulatory care. We evaluated how the reduction in access to care affected HbA1c testing and patient HbA1c levels. Methods: HbA1c data from 11 institutions were extracted to compare testing volume and the percentage of abnormal results between a pre-pandemic period (January-June 2019, period 1) and a portion of the COVID-19 pandemic period (Jan-June 2020, period 2). HbA1c results greater than 6.4% were categorized as abnormal. Results: HbA1C testing volumes decreased in March, April and May by 23, 61 and 40% relative to the corresponding months in 2019. The percentage of abnormal results increased in April, May and June (25, 23, 9%). On average, we found that the frequency of abnormal results increased by 0.31% for every 1% decrease in testing volume (p < 0.0005). Conclusion: HbA1c testing volume for outpatients decreased by up to 70% during the early months of the pandemic. The decrease in testing was associated with an increase in abnormal HbA1c results.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	148-152
Number of pages	5
Journal	Clinica Chimica Acta
Volume	519
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cca.2021.04.018
State	Published - Aug 2021

Keywords

Covid-19
Glycemic control
HbA1c

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10.1016/j.cca.2021.04.018

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Sharma, A., Greene, D. N., Chambliss, A. B., Farnsworth, C. W., French, D., Herman, D. S., Kavsak, P. A., Merrill, A. E., (Margaret) Lo, S. Y., Lyon, M. E., Winston-McPherson, G., Pearson, L. N., SoRelle, J. A., Waring, A. C., & Schmidt, R. L. (2021). The effect of the Covid-19 shutdown on glycemic testing and control. Clinica Chimica Acta, 519, 148-152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cca.2021.04.018

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title = "The effect of the Covid-19 shutdown on glycemic testing and control",

abstract = "Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused a halt to in-person ambulatory care. We evaluated how the reduction in access to care affected HbA1c testing and patient HbA1c levels. Methods: HbA1c data from 11 institutions were extracted to compare testing volume and the percentage of abnormal results between a pre-pandemic period (January-June 2019, period 1) and a portion of the COVID-19 pandemic period (Jan-June 2020, period 2). HbA1c results greater than 6.4% were categorized as abnormal. Results: HbA1C testing volumes decreased in March, April and May by 23, 61 and 40% relative to the corresponding months in 2019. The percentage of abnormal results increased in April, May and June (25, 23, 9%). On average, we found that the frequency of abnormal results increased by 0.31% for every 1% decrease in testing volume (p < 0.0005). Conclusion: HbA1c testing volume for outpatients decreased by up to 70% during the early months of the pandemic. The decrease in testing was associated with an increase in abnormal HbA1c results.",

keywords = "Covid-19, Glycemic control, HbA1c",

author = "Anu Sharma and Greene, {Dina N.} and Chambliss, {Allison B.} and Farnsworth, {Christopher W.} and Deborah French and Herman, {Daniel S.} and Kavsak, {Peter A.} and Merrill, {Anna E.} and {(Margaret) Lo}, {Sheng Ying} and Lyon, {Martha E.} and Gabrielle Winston-McPherson and Pearson, {Lauren N.} and SoRelle, {Jeffrey A.} and Waring, {Avantika C.} and Schmidt, {Robert L.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 Elsevier B.V.",

year = "2021",

month = aug,

doi = "10.1016/j.cca.2021.04.018",

language = "English",

volume = "519",

pages = "148--152",

journal = "Clinica Chimica Acta",

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T1 - The effect of the Covid-19 shutdown on glycemic testing and control

AU - Sharma, Anu

AU - Greene, Dina N.

AU - Chambliss, Allison B.

AU - Farnsworth, Christopher W.

AU - French, Deborah

AU - Herman, Daniel S.

AU - Kavsak, Peter A.

AU - Merrill, Anna E.

AU - (Margaret) Lo, Sheng Ying

AU - Lyon, Martha E.

AU - Winston-McPherson, Gabrielle

AU - Pearson, Lauren N.

AU - SoRelle, Jeffrey A.

AU - Waring, Avantika C.

AU - Schmidt, Robert L.

PY - 2021/8

Y1 - 2021/8

N2 - Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused a halt to in-person ambulatory care. We evaluated how the reduction in access to care affected HbA1c testing and patient HbA1c levels. Methods: HbA1c data from 11 institutions were extracted to compare testing volume and the percentage of abnormal results between a pre-pandemic period (January-June 2019, period 1) and a portion of the COVID-19 pandemic period (Jan-June 2020, period 2). HbA1c results greater than 6.4% were categorized as abnormal. Results: HbA1C testing volumes decreased in March, April and May by 23, 61 and 40% relative to the corresponding months in 2019. The percentage of abnormal results increased in April, May and June (25, 23, 9%). On average, we found that the frequency of abnormal results increased by 0.31% for every 1% decrease in testing volume (p < 0.0005). Conclusion: HbA1c testing volume for outpatients decreased by up to 70% during the early months of the pandemic. The decrease in testing was associated with an increase in abnormal HbA1c results.

AB - Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused a halt to in-person ambulatory care. We evaluated how the reduction in access to care affected HbA1c testing and patient HbA1c levels. Methods: HbA1c data from 11 institutions were extracted to compare testing volume and the percentage of abnormal results between a pre-pandemic period (January-June 2019, period 1) and a portion of the COVID-19 pandemic period (Jan-June 2020, period 2). HbA1c results greater than 6.4% were categorized as abnormal. Results: HbA1C testing volumes decreased in March, April and May by 23, 61 and 40% relative to the corresponding months in 2019. The percentage of abnormal results increased in April, May and June (25, 23, 9%). On average, we found that the frequency of abnormal results increased by 0.31% for every 1% decrease in testing volume (p < 0.0005). Conclusion: HbA1c testing volume for outpatients decreased by up to 70% during the early months of the pandemic. The decrease in testing was associated with an increase in abnormal HbA1c results.

KW - Covid-19

KW - Glycemic control

KW - HbA1c

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ER -

The effect of the Covid-19 shutdown on glycemic testing and control

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