The EAG blood test is designed to give medical providers a picture of a patient’s average glucose levels over a period of about 90 days. EAG stands for average glucose and may be reported on the A1C blood test as well. The EAG blood test results help to better explain the values discovered on the A1C because the unit is generally reflective of what would be seen on a glucose meter. The A1C results are measured in percentages. The EAG gives a mg/dl number instead.
The results of the EAG blood test are dependent on a number of factors. Because this is an average reading instead of an immediate reading, a more complete look at eating and health habits can be obtained. Medical providers will also be able to see if the signs and symptoms of diabetes mellitus that a patient is experiencing may be diabetic in nature or caused by a different disease.
How Often Is the EAG Blood Test Ordered?
The EAG blood test is typically ordered 2-4x per year. If control of glucose levels is inadequate, then the blood test may be ordered on a monthly basis. It may also be ordered as a routine part of an annual health checkup.
What Is Your EAG Blood Test Number?
For those who have diabetes mellitus, the American Diabetes Association recommends having an EAG number of 154. That corresponds to a 7% A1C reading. Although this is still outside of the optimum 70-140 range that many medical providers recommend, it is still a reflection of diabetes mellitus being under control.
If the EAG blood test comes back with a “normal” result, then the number from the test will be 117 or less. This is the range for the average person who does not have a diabetes mellitus diagnosis. Anything above this number may be considered a pre-diabetic condition.
For those who already have a diabetes diagnosis, the results of the EAG blood test will be used as a tracking tool to determine if the disease is being well-managed at home or if additional treatments will need to be implemented.
The EAG blood test can also be use to diagnose diabetes. If the EAG number is 140 or above, then a diagnosis will be rendered and the medical provider will create a treatment plan for disease management that is patient specific.
What Will the EAG Blood Test Not Do?
The EAG blood test will not track the acute glucose swings that may occur after meals. It will also not track good control measures that have been implemented in the last 30 days.
Certain people may also not have accurate results from their EAG blood test. This includes people who have a variant hemoglobin cell. This is because the sugar levels that are measured on the cell cannot always be accurately measured with the variant cells and this creates an EAG number that is artificially low.
People who have chronic anemia or heavy bleeding may also have an EAG number that is artificially low. Iron deficiencies may also create an artificially high EAG number as well. Recent blood transfusions will also impact results for up to 90 days.
How To Determine Your EAG Number
If you received an A1C percentage only with your EAG blood test, then it is easy to determine what your number will be. The formula to calculate your results is below.
28.7 x A1C % – 46.7
This means you’ll insert the A1C percentage into the formula where indicated and then do the math. For someone with a 6% A1C reading, for example, the formula would be 28.7×6-46.7=126. In basic terms, if a person’s A1C percentage goes up or down by 1%, then their EAG number will go up or down about 29 points.
If you have already been diagnosed with diabetes, you may be able to conduct an EAG blood test at home. This is used as an additional monitoring tool to track the progress of disease management. If diabetes as not yet been diagnosed, however, an EAG blood test that is administered by a medical provider is highly recommended.
This blood test is a definitive tool to diagnose diabetes mellitus and track its progress. The numbers reported should be used to evaluate lifestyle habits so that the number can come down in the next 90 days if needed. Speak with your medical provider about what your number should be, develop a treatment plan if necessary, and then confront diabetes head-on to achieve the best possible results.