Fructosamine

General Information

Introduction

Fructosamine can be useful as an index of glycaemic control in specific circumstances.

Clinical use of Fructosamine

Fructosamine is a derivative of the non-enzymatic reaction product between glucose and serum proteins(approximately 80% albumin). The amount of glycated protein is increased in diabetes mellitus, contributing to the long-term complications of the disease. Since the half-life of proteins such as albumin is short (2–3 weeks) compared to haemoglobin (6-8 weeks), fructosamine is a more responsive marker to changes in glycaemic control compared to glycated haemoglobin HbA1c.

Fructosamine can therefore be used to alert physicians to deteriorating diabetic control before changes in HbA1c occur, and is particularly of use for:

• Any condition that affects the life span of hemoglobin for example haemoglobinopathies, haemolytic anemia

• Patients that have undergone a recent transfusion

• Closer monitoring during pregnancy Fructosamine measurements should not be used for the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus.