Serum fructosamine: a parameter for monitoring metabolic control in diabetes

The aim of this study was to determine serum fructosamine in a non-diabetic population and to evaluate the usefulness of fructosamine in the routine management of diabetic patients. The range of serum fructosamine in the non-diabetic population was 2.00-3.08 mmol/l (n = 300, mean 2.54 +/- 0.27). The mean level of fructosamine in the diabetic patients was 5.4 +/- 1.1 mmol/l at the beginning of the study and 3.5 +/- 0.4 mmol on the 12th week visit of the study. Significant differences in serum fructosamine levels were observed during the first visit and the 12th week visit p < 0.002. Serum fructosamine concentrations were significantly correlated with glycosylated haemoglobin at each subsequent visit (p < 0.001). No significant correlation between plasma glucose and fructosamine was found, suggesting the two parameters are markets for different time metabolic control. Routine use of serum fructosamine in management of diabetes is recommend.