Point-of-Care testing of HbA1c levels in community settings for people with established diabetes or people at risk of developing diabetes:A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) measurement using Point of Care (POC) testing may be of huge utility, providing convenient testing for early diagnosis and regular monitoring of hard-to-reach patient groups. This systematic review aimed to identify evidence for the successful deployment of these devices to improve patient outcomes in diabetes.Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis was undertaken in February 2023, to identify all relevant articles: (CINAHL, Cochrane, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science). Studies were included if they reported outcomes of community POC testing for HbA1c for people with diabetes or at risk of diabetes. The Prospero database and trial registers were searched. Only English language articles were included.Title, abstract screening and full text review was carried out by two reviewers (AG/AR). The Cochrane risk of bias tool for randomised studies and the NIH Quality Assessment tool for observational cohort and cross-sectional studies were used. Publication bias was assessed visually using funnel plot and statistical assessment. We performed a meta-analysis on appropriate studies, applying a fixed effect model. We investigated heterogeneity using visual inspection of forest plots along with evaluative approaches (χ2, I2). Strength of evidence was assessed using GRADE.Findings: 24 studies fulfilled the criteria to be included in the narrative synthesis and 5 could be included in quantitative analysis. 13 studies evaluated HbA1c POC testing in non-diabetic patients, 9 reported results for diabetic patients and 2 included both groups. The narrative synthesis was constructed around 6 key themes: increased test access, diagnosis of people who would otherwise go undiagnosed, intervention/lifestyle change, POC testing effect on HbA1c and glycaemic control, follow-up time and patient satisfaction.Interpretation: The available published data supports the proposed use of POC devices in a community setting, with positive effects on diabetic care with limited evidence that patients can achieve better glycaemic control