An integrated microfluidic system for rapid HbA1c and glucose measurement

Diet management is crucial for diabetes to avoid a variety of complications. Due to the large fluctuations in glucose levels that naturally occur over the course of a day, it has been concluded that the biomarker for long-term glycaemic control is whole-blood glycated hemoglobin since its level responds to the long-term progression of diabetes without the short-term fluctuations such as glucose. In this study, an integrated microfluidic chip was developed for measurement of glucose and HbA1c. The whole blood was first separated into plasma and red blood cells (RBC) and then respectively transported into corresponding reaction biosensors with enzyme immobilization. Eventually, both blood glucose and HbA1c levels for short-term and long-term monitoring were measured. The automatic detection system can provide quick monitoring information for the diabetes patients.