The assays of glycosylated proteins in haemoglobinopathies and theis use in screening for diabetes Mellitus

We compare the relative validity of HbA1c and fructosamine as indices of lon-term vlood glucose levels in populations with a common occurrence of haemoglobinopathies. In these patients, HbA1c levels are lower than AbA1c levels in non-haemoglobinopathy patients and do not reflect the glucidic status of the patients, unlike the fructosamine assay. This last test has a good potential to be used as a mass screening test for diabetes mellitus in the populations (Africa, Caribbean, USA) in either homozygous or heterozygous haemoglobinopathy patients. Moreover, fructosamine presents numerous technical advantages which facilitate the screening