Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) Testing Market Overview and Introduction

Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), also termed as glycohemoglobin or glycated hemoglobin is the hemoglobin to which glucose is attached. HbA1c testing is utilized to measures the average amount of sugar or glucose present in the blood over the past two to three months. Higher levels of HbA1c indicate diabetes.  This test is not only utilized to regularly measure the levels of glucose but also to diagnose diabetes. In normal individuals, the range of HbA1c levels is between 4% and 5.6% whereas in people with HbA1c level between 5.7% and 6.4% there is a high risk of getting diabetes and people with HbA1c level higher than 6.5% have diabetes. In well-controlled diabetic patients, HbA1c levels are less than 7.0%.

The global HbA1c market is driven by the increasing prevalence of diabetes and growing geriatric populations. Moreover, rising awareness regarding diabetes self-management and the advent of new technologies in diabetes management have been pivotal in contributing to the extensive growth of the global HbA1c market. However, HbA1c testing results can be misleading among patients with blood abnormalities. Also, the test may fail to detect cases of Posttransplant Diabetes Mellitus (PTDM). These are some factors will restrain the market growth to a certain extent.

The global HbA1c testing market can be segmented by product type, end-user, and region.

HbA1c Testing Market By Product Type

Based on the device type, the HbA1c testing market can be segmented into instruments and consumables. The instruments segment can be further categorized into handheld devices and benchtop devices. Handheld/portable devices are anticipated to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period owing to the convenience of usage and their ability to provide fast & accurate HbA1c test results.

HbA1c Testing Market By Technology

Based on technology, the HbA1c testing market can be segmented into ion-exchange HPLC, direct enzymatic assay, boronate affinity chromatography, turbidimetric inhibition immunoassay, and others. The ion-exchange HPLC segment is estimated to account for the largest market share owing to the technology being the most widely utilized for HbA1c testing as it provides accurate HbA1c values even in the presence of hemoglobin variants.

HbA1c Testing Market By End-User

Based on the end-user, the HbA1c testing market can be segmented into hospitals & clinics, home care, and diagnostic laboratories. The home care segment is anticipated to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period owing to the increasing inclination of diabetic patients toward self-monitoring HbA1c levels as well as the ability of these tests to provide fast results. 

HbA1c Market By Region

The global HbA1c testing market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World (ROW). North America dominated the global HbA1c testing market followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. North America will continue its dominance during the forecast period owing to factors such as rising geriatric populations, new product launches and the rising number of FDA approvals for point-of-care testing analyzers. Moreover, the increasing number of people suffering from diabetes in this region will boost the regional market growth. 

HbA1c Market Prominent Players

Some of the prominent players in the global HbA1c testing market include Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Abbott, Siemens Healthcare Private Limited, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., ARKRAY, Inc., PTS Diagnostics, Tosoh Corporation, Trinity Biotech, SEBIA, and Nova Biomedical, among others.