Reduction in glycated albumin can predict change in HbA _1c: Comparison of oral hypoglycaemic agent and insulin treatments

Aim To investigate whether the change in glycated albumin 3weeks after initiating anti-diabetes treatment (oral hypoglycaemic agent or insulin) could predict the corresponding change in HbA _1c 3months later in Korean patients with Type2 diabetes. Methods A total of 140 patients were enrolled into two groups: groupI (insulin-based; n=100) and groupII (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 3weeks (first visit) after the initial measurement, and HbA _1c was measured at 3months (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 groupII (r=0.778; P<0.01), a slightly stronger linear relationship was demonstrated than in groupI (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 3weeks after the initiation of treatment corresponded with the reduction in HbA _1c 3months after starting treatment in both the group treated with a oral hypoglycaemic agent and the insulin-treated group of Korean patients with Type2 diabetes.