Glycosylated Hemoglobin ( GHb ) is formed continuously by the adduction of glucose by co-valent bonding to the amino-terminal valine of the hemoglobin beta chain progressively & irreversibly over a period of time & is stable till the life of the RBC. This process is slow, non enzymatic and is dependent on the average blood Glucose concentration over a period of time.
A single glucose determination reflects the glucose level at that time. GHb on the other hand reflects the mean glucose level over an extended period of time. Thus GHb reflects the metabolic control of Glucose level over an extended period of time .thus Ghb reflects the metabolic control of glucose level Over a period of time unaffected by diet, insulin, other drugs, or the day of testing .GHb is now widely recognized as an important test for the diagnosis of Diabetes Mellitus and is a reliable indicator of the efficacy of therapy.