RESUMO
Serum fructosamine, glycosylated haemoglobin (HbAic), fasting blood glucose and serum proteins were determined in 50 malnourished children aged 1-5 years and in 25 healthy and nutritionally normal children of the same age group. It was observed that both HbAic and fructosamine values correlated well with the blood glucose values of the patients. It was also observed that the patients had significantly elevated values of HbAic, indicating the existence of glucose intolerance in them. In contrast, the fructosamine values were significantly reduced in the patients and this was attributed to the hypoproteinaemia in such patients. It was concluded that while both HbAic frustosamine correlate well with blood glucose values, HbAic gives a better reflection of the glycaemic status of malnourished children because its level is not significantly altered by hypoproteinaemia. HbAic measurement may, therefore, be a more reliable indicator of glucose status than serum fructosamine in children with protein-energy malnutrition.
