[HbA1c: need of its dosage in diabetics (author's transl)].

HbA1c is the product of a slow, virtually irreversible reaction, occurring continuously throughout the 120 day life-span of the erythrocyte, between HbAo and glucose. It has been shown to represent the time-averaged blood glucose concentration of the preceeding 2 month period, and is independant of day to day fluctuations in the blood glucose concentration. HbA1c therefore acts as a biochemical marker and permits clinicans, by one test, to judge the quality of the diabetic control, in their patients.