Glycosylated hemoglobin:Hemoglobin to whichglucoseis bound.Glycosylated hemoglobinis tested to monitor the long-termcontrolofdiabetes mellitus.
The level of glycosylated hemoglobin is increasedinthe red blood cells of persons with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus. Since the glucose stays attached to hemoglobin for the life of thered blood cell(normally about 120 days), the level of glycosylated hemoglobin reflects the averageblood glucoselevel over the past 3 months.
The normal level for glycosylated hemoglobin is less than 7%. Diabetics rarely achieve such levels, but tight control aims to come close to it. Levels above 9%showpoor control, and levels above 12% show very poor control. It is commonly recommended that glycosylated hemoglobin be measured every 3 to 6 months indiabetes.
TheDiabetesControl and Complications Trial (DCCT) showed that diabetics who keep their glycosylated hemoglobin levels close to 7% have a much better chance of delaying or preventingdiabetes complicationsthataffectthe eyes, kidneys, and nerves than people with levels 8% or higher. A change in treatment is almost always needed if the level is over 8%. Lowering the level of glycosylated hemoglobin by any amount improves a person's chances of stayinghealthy.
Glycosylated hemoglobin is also known asglycohemoglobinor as hemoglobin A1C (the main fraction of glycosylated hemoglobin).
