Reduction in glycated albumin can predict change in HbA 1c : comparison of oral hypoglycaemic agent and insulin treatments

Diabet. Med. 29, 74–79 (2012) Abstract Aim  To investigate whether the change in glycated albumin 3 weeks after initiating anti‐diabetes treatment (oral hypoglycaemic agent or insulin) could predict the corresponding change in HbA 1c 3 months later in Korean patients with Type 2 diabetes. Methods  A total of 140 patients were enrolled into two groups: group I (insulin‐based; n  = 100) and group II (oral hypoglycaemic agent‐based; n  = 40). Both glycated albumin and HbA 1c levels were measured as ‘glucose control markers’ during hospitalization. Glycated albumin was measured again at 3 weeks (first visit) after the initial measurement, and HbA 1c was measured at 3 months (second visit) after the initial measurement.. The change in glucose control marker was defined as 100 × (follow‐up glucose control marker – hospital glucose control marker)/hospital glucose control marker. Results  In both groups, the change in glycated albumin at the first visit and in HbA 1c at the second visit showed a moderate linear relationship ( r  = 0.735; P  < 0.01). In group II ( r  = 0.778; P  < 0.01), a slightly stronger linear relationship was demonstrated than in group I ( r  = 0.738; P  < 0.001); however, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups. A correlation coefficient between the change in glycated albumin and HbA 1c was not affected by sex, age, BMI, haemoglobin, serum creatinine or albumin. Conclusion  The reduction in glycated albumin 3 weeks after the initiation of treatment corresponded with the reduction in HbA 1c 3 months after starting treatment in both the group treated with a oral hypoglycaemic agent and the insulin‐treated group of Korean patients with Type 2 diabetes.