Haemoglobin F and the assessment of glucose control by chromatographically determined Hb1clevels

HbF and HbA1c-levels were determined in diabetic patients and non-diabetic controls to evaluate the influence of HbF on chromatographically determined HbA1c-levels. No difference in mean HbF was observed between controls and diabetic patients. However, in the combined material, women had a higher mean value (0.31%) than men (0.20%). Estimates of time average blood glucose concentrations (Cglc, mmol/l) were calculated from HbA1c-values in diabetic patients corrected for codetermined HbF. This correction resulted in a difference greater than 1 mmol/l in only 4% of diabetic men and 28% of diabetic women compared to estimates of Cglc from uncorrected HbA1c-results. We conclude, however, that the influence of HbF on chromatographically determined HbA1c-levels in most cases is of minor importance in assessing glucose control in diabetic patients.