Serum fructosamine and glucose tolerance in diabetics with or without microangiopathy

ABSTRACT

This study included 25 healthy non-diabetic subjects [group I], as well as 40 diabetic patients. The diabetics were 20 patients without microangiopathy [group 11] and 20 patients with diabetic microangiopathy [group 111]. Plasma glucose levels during fasting as well as 2-hours after 75 g. Glucose oral load, serum albumin, fructosamine, urea, creatinine and the 24-hours unrinary albumin were estimated. In diabetics without microangiopathy [group 11], the means of serum fructosamine, the fasting as well as the 2-hours plasma glucose levels, and the 24 hours plasma glucose levels, and the 24 hours urinary albumin were significantly higher, while the mean of serum albumin was significantly lower than the corresponding means of controls [group 1]. Indiabetics with microangiopathy [group 111], the previous findings were also present, but to a significantly greater extent only with respect to the levels of fasting plasma glucose and the urinary albumin contents. The means of the other investigated parameters were not significantly different among the two groups of diabetic patients. In addition, diabetics with or without microangiopathy who showed relatively high fasting plasma glucose levels, showed also relatively high serum fructosamine and vice versa.1 Moreover, serum fructosamine levels showed significantly positive correlation with the fasting plasma glucose levels in controls and both groups of diabetics. However, serum fructosamine levels of each group showed no significant correlation with age, body weight, serum urea, creatinine, 24 hours urinary albumin, or the presence of microangiopathic complications. Thus, in conclusion, fructosamine levels were significantly elevated in this study, this elevation was not related to the presence of diabetic microangiopathy, but most probably, it reflects the lack of glycaemic control in these patients. these findings point to the possibility of using serum fructosamine levels as marker for glycaemic control in diabetics