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Glycated Albumin Percentage is Correlated With HbA1c : Theoretic Marker in Patients With Altered Erythrocyte Turnover

Gåfvels, Mats LU ; Swärd, Per LU ; Xu, Ning LU and Svensson, Joel LU (2025) In Journal of diabetes science and technology p.1-6
Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The gold standard for monitoring long-term glucose levels in patients with diabetes mellitus is glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). In conditions where the erythrocyte half-life is decreased, for example, in long-term kidney diseases and hemoglobinopathies, HbA1C may underestimate the long-term glucose exposure. Therefore, in these patient groups, other methods to monitor long-term glucose have been suggested, including glycated serum protein (GSP). To further optimize the method, a correction against total serum albumin has been proposed, defined as a percentage of glycated albumin (%GA). The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between HbA1c, GSP, and %GA-a strong correlation to HbA1c would strengthen the... (More)

INTRODUCTION: The gold standard for monitoring long-term glucose levels in patients with diabetes mellitus is glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). In conditions where the erythrocyte half-life is decreased, for example, in long-term kidney diseases and hemoglobinopathies, HbA1C may underestimate the long-term glucose exposure. Therefore, in these patient groups, other methods to monitor long-term glucose have been suggested, including glycated serum protein (GSP). To further optimize the method, a correction against total serum albumin has been proposed, defined as a percentage of glycated albumin (%GA). The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between HbA1c, GSP, and %GA-a strong correlation to HbA1c would strengthen the potential usefulness of GSP and %GA as alternative methods to monitor glucose exposure in certain patient populations.

METHODS: In this study, randomly collected human samples (n = 271), with different levels of HbA1c were analyzed for GSP and total serum albumin and a %GA was calculated. We also divided the samples into subgroups based on their HbA1c-result, age, and gender.

RESULTS: Both %GA and GSP were strongly correlated with HbA1c, where %GA displayed the strongest correlation (R2 0.77 compared with R2 0.66.). When dividing into subgroups based on HbA1c-results, statistically significant differences in %GA were observed between all the different subgroups.

CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the findings of this study strengthen the possibility of using GSP and %GA as possible alternatives or at least a supplement to HbA1c for monitoring long-term glucose exposure. Theoretically, particularly %GA could have the potential to supplement HbA1C in patients where the erythrocyte half-life is altered.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
subject
in
Journal of diabetes science and technology
pages
1 - 6
publisher
Diabetes Technology Society
external identifiers
  • scopus:105019623468
  • pmid:41117702
ISSN
1932-2968
DOI
10.1177/19322968251384304
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
3f4635a8-7460-4907-9ec2-119a7c0dab12
date added to LUP
2025-11-14 07:33:18
date last changed
2025-11-15 04:00:49
@article{3f4635a8-7460-4907-9ec2-119a7c0dab12,
  abstract     = {{<p>INTRODUCTION: The gold standard for monitoring long-term glucose levels in patients with diabetes mellitus is glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). In conditions where the erythrocyte half-life is decreased, for example, in long-term kidney diseases and hemoglobinopathies, HbA1C may underestimate the long-term glucose exposure. Therefore, in these patient groups, other methods to monitor long-term glucose have been suggested, including glycated serum protein (GSP). To further optimize the method, a correction against total serum albumin has been proposed, defined as a percentage of glycated albumin (%GA). The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between HbA1c, GSP, and %GA-a strong correlation to HbA1c would strengthen the potential usefulness of GSP and %GA as alternative methods to monitor glucose exposure in certain patient populations.</p><p>METHODS: In this study, randomly collected human samples (n = 271), with different levels of HbA1c were analyzed for GSP and total serum albumin and a %GA was calculated. We also divided the samples into subgroups based on their HbA1c-result, age, and gender.</p><p>RESULTS: Both %GA and GSP were strongly correlated with HbA1c, where %GA displayed the strongest correlation (R2 0.77 compared with R2 0.66.). When dividing into subgroups based on HbA1c-results, statistically significant differences in %GA were observed between all the different subgroups.</p><p>CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the findings of this study strengthen the possibility of using GSP and %GA as possible alternatives or at least a supplement to HbA1c for monitoring long-term glucose exposure. Theoretically, particularly %GA could have the potential to supplement HbA1C in patients where the erythrocyte half-life is altered.</p>}},
  author       = {{Gåfvels, Mats and Swärd, Per and Xu, Ning and Svensson, Joel}},
  issn         = {{1932-2968}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{10}},
  pages        = {{1--6}},
  publisher    = {{Diabetes Technology Society}},
  series       = {{Journal of diabetes science and technology}},
  title        = {{Glycated Albumin Percentage is Correlated With HbA1c : Theoretic Marker in Patients With Altered Erythrocyte Turnover}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/19322968251384304}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/19322968251384304}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}