Diagnostic and Therapeutic Implications of Relationships Between Fasting, 2-Hour Postchallenge Plasma Glucose and Hemoglobin A1c Values

Abstract
N-terminal valine residues of erythrocyte hemoglobin become irreversibly glycosylated in proportion to circulating glucose concentrations, and the resultant product is commonly referred to as hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c).1 Because of the half-life of the erythrocyte, the percentage of hemoglobin represented by HbA1c provides an index of the average plasma glucose concentration during the previous 2 to 3 months.1 Consequently, HbA1c measurements have become the preferred method to monitor long-term glycemic control in patients with diabetes mellitus2 and have been used in clinical trials to assess the efficacy of antidiabetic medications and the impact of therapeutic interventions on diabetic complications.3-5

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