Background Since serum albumin is glycosylated more rapidly than hemoglobin, it is possible that the glycated albumin (GA) to HbA1c ratio (GA: HbA1c ratio) is potentially a more sensitive indicator of blood glucose excursion than HbA1c. The aim of the present study was to assess the clinical usefulness of GA: HbA1c ratio as a marker of daily glucose excursions in patients with type 1 diabetes according to the subtypes; acute onset type 1A, fulminant and slowly progressive type 1 diabetes.
Methods Fifty-six outpatients with type 1 diabetes [16 fulminant, 20 acute-onset type 1A and 20 slowly progressive (SPIDDM)] were recruited consecutively. Each patient performed self-monitoring of blood glucose at seven points a day. The associations among the daily profile of glucose and GA, HbA1c, GA: HbA1c ratio were examined across and within the subtypes of type 1 diabetes.
Results GA and GA: HbA1c ratio were each independently correlated with mean amplitude of glucose excursion (MAGE) in patients with type 1 diabetes (F=27.53, p<0.001 and F=13.02, p<0.001, respectively). GA: HbA1c ratio was significantly higher in fulminant type 1 diabetic patients than in SPIDDM patients (3.5 ± 0.2 vs. 3.2 ± 0.5, p=0.015) and it was independently associated with MAGE within fulminant type 1 diabetes (F=21.2, p<0.001).
Conclusion In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that GA: HbA1c ratio could be a better marker for glycemic variability than HbA1c in type 1 diabetes, especially in fulminant type 1 diabetes.