Evaluation of the metabolic balance in type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetics, by assay of the hair biochemical components.

A new method of long-term retrospective evaluation of the metabolic balance in type 1 diabetic was based on the variations of the hair biochemical components. Glucose, proteic sulfur and amino acid assays were performed in two consecutive hair segments, proximal and distal, of 1.5 cm each. The differences between the glucose and the sulfur values in the two segments correlated with the HbA1 levels (r = +0.971 and r = +0.957, respectively), being statistically significant in both situations (p less than 0.001). The hair components assay permits to follow up the diabetics' metabolic balance on longer time periods than by determination of the HbA1 values.