Glycated hemoglobin is one of the biochemical indicators that reflects the average level of sugar in the blood for a fairly long period. Analysis for glycated hemoglobin plays an important role in the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, as well as in further monitoring of the condition of patients with this diagnosis.
What does the analysis show for glycated hemoglobin?
Glycated hemoglobin is present in the blood of each person, and its value is determined as a percentage of the total hemoglobin in the blood.
Glycated hemoglobin is formed as a result of the fusion of glucose and hemoglobin, in which enzymes do not participate. As a result, there is a persistent compound that does not decompose and is present in the red blood cells (erythrocytes) for the entire duration of their life. Since hemoglobin with glucose binds not immediately, and the lifespan of red blood cells can be up to 120 days, this indicator means not the current level of sugar in the blood, but averaged over a period of up to 3 months.
Elevated and lowered glycated hemoglobin
For diagnostic purposes, this analysis is used for diabetes mellitus of all types and pre-diabetic conditions. The higher the sugar level, the more hemoglobin is bound, and therefore glycated hemoglobin is elevated in patients with diabetes mellitus.
The norm is considered to be from 4 to 6%, with glycated hemoglobin from 6.5 to 7.5% it is a pre-diabetic condition, higher values indicate the presence of uncompensated diabetes mellitus. In addition, iron deficiency can be the cause.
However, there are a number of pathological factors, due to which glycated hemoglobin can be either increased or decreased, and the clinical picture is distorted.
The indicator can be increased with:
- iron deficiency (in this case, iron deficiency anemia develops, the total amount of hemoglobin in the blood decreases, and therefore the relative index is higher);
- poisoning with lead salts or alcohol intoxication;
- kidney failure due to accumulation in the blood of decay products, which are not excreted from the body;
- remote spleen.
Reduced glycated hemoglobin can occur when:
- bleeding;
- prolonged hypoglycemia;
- hemolytic anemia (in which the life span of red blood cells decreases);
- after blood transfusions.
Blood test for glycated hemoglobin
Unlike most tests, donating blood to glycated hemoglobin can not be done on an empty stomach. Since this study shows an average sugar level over a three-month period, the current indicators on it can not affect.
Also, the level of glycated hemoglobin is not affected or influenced by the extremely low intake of most drugs, colds and respiratory diseases, the emotional state of the patient. Indicators may be affected by blood loss (given the pathology of the menstrual cycle with severe bleeding in women) and some
In addition, distort the indicators (slightly lower them) may take a few days before the test of iron preparations, the use of a large number of iron-containing foods and red wine. If drugs to increase the total level of hemoglobin are taken regularly, then they do not distort the clinical picture.
It should be borne in mind that the research on glycated hemoglobin in different clinics (using different methods) may show different results. Therefore, if the test is carried out regularly, to monitor the general condition, it is better to use the services of one laboratory.