How reports print it
What it shows
The share of haemoglobin with glucose attached. It reflects the average sugar level over the past 2–3 months.
Units and conversion
Base unit: %.
- % (NGSP) = 0.09148 × mmol/mol (IFCC) + 2.152. 39 mmol/mol ≈ 5.7%; 42 mmol/mol ≈ 6.0%; 48 mmol/mol ≈ 6.5%
Typical ranges
Your laboratory’s range comes first — it is printed on the report next to the result. Below is one laboratory’s adult range with its method: a reference, not a rule.
| Who | Range, % |
|---|---|
| Adults | 4.27–6.07 |
Range source: Лаборатория Хеликс — Гликированный гемоглобин (HbA1c)
Guideline thresholds
They apply on top of the range, for adults outside pregnancy. They are a reason to talk to a doctor, not a conclusion.
- HbA1c of 6.5% (48 mmol/mol) and above is the diagnostic threshold of the Russian Ministry of Health (2022) and ADA (2026) guidelines.
- HbA1c above 6.0 and below 6.5% gives no conclusion by itself per the Russian Ministry of Health guideline (2022); ADA (2026) marks 5.7–6.4%.
- Клинические рекомендации «Сахарный диабет 2 типа у взрослых» (2022) — Минздрав России, 2022
- Standards of Care in Diabetes—2026. Section 2: Diagnosis and Classification — American Diabetes Association, Diabetes Care, 2026
Good to know
The result comes in % (NGSP) or mmol/mol (IFCC): 6.0% ≈ 42, 6.5% ≈ 48 mmol/mol. Per ADA (2026), anaemia, recent blood loss, a recent transfusion, haemodialysis, haemoglobin variants and pregnancy distort HbA1c — a doctor then relies on glucose.
Why it can be higher
Common reasons discussed with a doctor. This is not a diagnosis.
- Persistently high sugar in recent months
- Low iron can push the result up
- Some haemoglobin variants affect the method
Why it can be lower
- Recent blood loss
- Increased breakdown of red cells
- Pregnancy
What to ask a doctor
- Should fasting glucose be taken too?
- Can my haemoglobin distort this test?
Whom to see
A GP or internist; then an endocrinologist.