title: Glycated Hemoglobin, Plasma Glucose, and Erythrocyte Aging.
abstract: The relationship between HbA1c and blood glucose averages has been characterized many times, yet, a unifying, mechanistic description is still lacking.
  
  
  
  We calculated the level of HbA1c from plasma glucose averages based solely on the in vivo rate of hemoglobin glycation, and the different turnover rates for erythrocytes of different ages. These calculations were then compared to the measured change of HbA1c due to changes in mean blood glucose (MBG), to complex models in the literature, and our own experiments.
  
  
  
  Analysis of data on erythrocyte ageing patterns revealed that 2 separate RBC turnover mechanisms seem to be present. We calculated the mean red blood cell (RBC) life span within individuals to lie between 60 and 95 days. Comparison of expected HbA1c levels to data taken from continuous glucose monitors and finger-stick MBG yielded good agreement (r = .87, P < .0001). Experiments on the change with time of HbA1c induced by a change of MBG were in excellent agreement with our calculations (r = .98, P < .0001).
  
  
  
  RBC turnover seems to be dominated by a constant rate of cell loss, and a mechanism that targets cells of a specific age. Average RBC life span is 80 ± 10.9 days. Of HbA1c change toward treatment goal value, 50% is reached in about 30 days. Many factors contribute to the ratio of glycated hemoglobin, yet we can make accurate estimations considering only the in vivo glycation constant, MBG, and the age distribution of erythrocytes.
authors.affiliation: Pancreas Disease Center, Department of Surgery, Northwell Health System, Manhasset, NY, USA mbeltrande@northwell.edu.|Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beltran Del Rio
authors.affiliation: Pancreas Disease Center, Department of Surgery, Northwell Health System, Manhasset, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Mukesh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tiwari
authors.affiliation: Pancreas Disease Center, Department of Surgery, Northwell Health System, Manhasset, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Leo I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Amodu
authors.affiliation: Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Joaquin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cagliani
authors.affiliation: Pancreas Disease Center, Department of Surgery, Northwell Health System, Manhasset, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Horacio Luis
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Rodriguez Rilo
mesh_terms: D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood; D004905:Erythrocyte Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis*; D006031:Glycosylation; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human
keywords: blood sugar control; continuous glucose monitor; erythrocyte life span; glycated hemoglobin