HbA1c Direct

Glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) is a minor fraction of adult haemoglobin, which is formed slowly and non-enzymatically from haemoglobin and glucose. The accumulation of glucose in red blood cells under hyperglycaemic conditions favour the formation of glycated product- the HbA1c. The formation of HbA1c is a slow reaction that is dependent on the prevailing concentration of blood glucose; it continues irreversibly throughout the red blood cell's life span of approximately 120 days. The higher the blood glucose concentration and the longer the red blood cell's exposure to it makes higher the fraction of HbA1c, which is expressed as a percentage of total haemoglobin. Because a blood sample at any given time contains a mixture of red blood cells of varying ages, exposed for varying times to varying blood glucose concentrations, a HbA1c measurement reflects the average blood glucose concentration from the preceding 2-3 months.
 
Measurements of HbA1c have proved to be a useful index of glycaemic control over last two decades. It is currently recommended that HbA1c measurements be obtained 3-4 times in a year to obtain a profile of long-term glycemic control. The lower the HbA1c level, the more likely it is that microvascular complications such as retinopathy and nephropathy will be less severe, delayed in appearance, or even avoided altogether.
 
Q-line-HbA1c Direct:  is an immuno-turbidimetric metric assay for HbA1c, harmonized to a common standard to express high levels of correlation with many of the available methods like affinity chromatography, HPLC, enzymatic and other immuno-turbidimetric methods.