Estimation of glycated hemoglobin by 2,6-dimethylphenol: Sulphuric acid conventional method

Glycated hemoglobin levels in hemolysate of normal and diabetic patients were determined by the 2,6-dimethylphenol:57.5% sulphuric acid conventional method and the values were 0.39±025 and 0.69±0.21 moles of hydroxymethylfurfural(HMF)/mole of globin, respectively. The mean increase in glycated hemoglobin values in diabetics (1.8fold) was highly significant (p<0.001). A good correlation (r=0.95) was found between the glycated hemoglobin values obtained by this method and the phenol:sulphuric acid method. The values obtained by former method were about 1.2-1.4 times the values by the phenol:sulphuric acid method. This study indicates that conventional 2,6-dimethylphenol: 57.5% sulphuric acid method is more sensitive for the estimation of glycated hemoglobin than any other method based on the same principle. It is less time consuming, reliable and hence can be employed for the routine laboratory estimation of glycated hemoglobin for the assessment of glycemic control.