Serum fructosamine (alkaline-reducing activity) for evaluation of glycemic control in diabetic patients.

The values of serum fructosamine were significantly higher in 75 diabetic patients than those of metabolically healthy controls. Significant correlation could be observed between the glycated hemoglobin and serum fructosamine values in diabetics. Furthermore, significant correlations were established between the serum fructosamine values and the mean blood glucose as well as the mean 24 hours urinary glucose values measured 10-14 days previously in diabetics. Glycated hemoglobin values should be measured in diabetics for long-term assessment of glycemic control while serum fructosamine values could be useful in clinical practice for assessment of overall glycemic control of the previous two weeks in diabetic patients. Not only long-term glycemic control but medium-term alterations in blood glucose concentrations could be evaluated by simultaneous measurements of glycated hemoglobin and serum fructosamine values in diabetics.