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Point-of-care Capillary HbA1c Testing for Type 2 Diabetes Screening Among At-risk Individuals in Rural Dali, China

Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness of Point-of-care Capillary HbA1c Testing for Type 2 Diabetes Screening Among At-risk Individuals in Rural Dali, Yunnan, China: A Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial

Status
Not yet recruiting
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07718867
Enrollment
720
Registered
2026-07-22
Start date
2026-07-28
Completion date
2027-12-30
Last updated
2026-07-28

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Pre-diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes

Keywords

POCT, HbA1c, Diabetes screening, Effectiveness, Cost-effectiveness, Rural China, Cluster randomised controlled trial

Brief summary

This project aims to compare Point-of-care capillary HbA1c (POC-cHbA1c) testing and fingerstick random blood glucose (RBG) testing in terms of type 2 diabetes detection rate and cost-effectiveness, in order to optimise current screening strategies for rural populations at high risk of diabetes in rural Dali, China, and to improve treatment adherence and self-management among people with diabetes.

Detailed description

This is a cluster randomised controlled trial conducted in rural Dali, Yunnan, China, to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of point-of-care capillary HbA1c testing (POC-cHbA1c) for screening type 2 diabetes among high-risk individuals. The study will involve six township health centres in rural Dali. The intervention group will receive immediate on-site POC-cHbA1c testing, while the control group will undergo fingerstick RBG testing, with both groups having confirmatory vHbA1c testing for validation. Primary outcome is the detection rates of T2DM, while secondary outcomes include the detection rate of pre-diabetes, sensitivity, specificity, and economic evaluations such as the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). The findings are intended to inform optimized screening strategies in rural settings, potentially leading to earlier diagnosis, better treatment adherence, and improved health outcomes in rural populations at high risk of diabetes.

Interventions

DIAGNOSTIC_TESTPOC-cHbA1c

Research staff will use quality-certified POC HbA1c devices to perform finger-prick capillary HbA1c testing for participants. Testing will be completed on site and results will be provided immediately.

DIAGNOSTIC_TESTFingerstick RBG

Research staff will use standardised glucometers and test strips to measure fingerstick random blood glucose. Test results will be provided on site.

Sponsors

The University of Hong Kong
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
SCREENING
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Aged 18 years or above; * Permanent residents of Dali City who have lived locally for at least six consecutive months; * Registered as rural residents; * No known history of diabetes; * Meet at least one of the high-risk criteria for T2DM specified in the Chinese Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Diabetes issued by the Chinese Diabetes Society; * Able to understand the study information and provide written informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

* Known history of T2DM or currently receiving glucose-lowering treatment; * HbA1c testing with a clear result within the past three months, or completion of standardised diabetes screening within the past six months; * Pregnant or breastfeeding at the time of recruitment; * Active thyroid disease or other active endocrine disorders at recruitment, such as Cushing's syndrome or acromegaly; * Known haemoglobinopathy, severe anaemia, recent acute blood loss, or history of blood transfusion or blood donation within the past three months; * Currently receiving treatment that may substantially affect interpretation of HbA1c, such as erythropoietin therapy or recent high-dose iron therapy.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frame
Detection rate of T2DM1 week

Secondary

MeasureTime frame
Detection rate of pre-diabetes1 week
Sensitivity and specificity1 week
Number needed to screen1 week
Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio3 months and 6 months

Countries

China

Contacts

CONTACTLevon Yongle Zhan, PhD
levon@hku.hk852-25185656
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORWilliam Chi Wai Wong, MD

The University of Hong Kong

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Jul 29, 2026